Last season both Donovan Mitchell and Ben Simmons were under the spotlight as they underwent their rookie seasons. Off course, there were some naysayers who believed that Simmons was not a rookie because of him being drafted in 2016.
However, the NBA rules clearly state that a rookie is any player who has not played any game since being drafted. Nevertheless, last season was filled with magical moments from both players as they helped push their teams to another level.
Prior to the 2017-18 season, the Philadelphia 76ers struggled to win 30 games. Once Simmons stepped on the court during his “rookie season” he took the league by storm. Ben Simmons broke the rookie assist record, won Rookie of the Year and was the first rookie since Magic Johnson to record a triple-double in the playoffs. Not to mention he helped catapult his team to a playoff contender with the support of Joel Embiid and others.
On the flip side, Mitchell was drafted to a Utah Jazz team who lost Gordon Hayward in free agency to the Boston Celtics. Before the Jazz drafted Mitchell, they advanced to the second round of the playoffs (2016-17) and were swept by the Golden State Warriors.
Although the Jazz made the playoffs during the 2016-17 season, Mitchell helped salvage a franchise that could have crumbled. Mitchell finished his rookie year by coming in second for rookie of the year. He also scored 55 points in a playoff game, broke the rookie 3-point record and walked away with the slam dunk title.
Both players won awards during their rookie season and broke multiple records. Above all, if you are a general manager you should side with Mitchell over Simmons for a few reasons.
A Shooters Touch
Right now, Mitchell is a better shooter than Simmons and probably will be for a few years. The Louisville product can score from all three levels of the floor. Obviously, his next step is to improve his three-point shooting/percentage (29.1).
Regardless of Mitchell's subpar three-point shooting the fact of the matter is that he is at least taking the shots. On the opposite side, Philadelphia fans are begging Simmons to at least try to shoot from mid-range.
One aspect of Spida's game that does not receive a lot of admiration is his mid-range shooting. Sadly, in today's game, the art of the mid-range is not as important. Be that as it may, he is able to use the pick & roll to get open shots. Currently, he is shooting a solid percentage from 8-16 feet (49.1) and 16-24 (46.7) feet. On the flip side, Simmons is struggling with shooting from 8-16 feet (34.4) and 16-24 feet (14.3).
Yes, Simmons is a dynamic playmaker, can attack the rim at will and is walking trouble double. But it is easier to game plan for the 76ers because of their starting guard's lack of shooting.
Obviously, the LSU product can work on his shot but it takes more time than what people assume. During the 2018 offseason, Simmons mentioned that he was working on his shot. However, he still hesitates to attempt any midrange shots unless the shot clock is winding down.
Obtaining Success With Limitations
The 76ers are arguably in the top three teams in the east when healthy. Both the 76ers and Jazz advanced to the Semi-Conference Finals last season. Despite the fact that both teams advanced to the second round, Mitchell led a team in the west during his rookie year to the playoffs.
Of course, you have to give Simmons the proper respect, but he advanced to the second round with a better team and a fellow All-Star by his side. During the 2018 postseason, Embidd averaged 21.4 points in the playoffs and dominated in the post with the exception of the second round of the playoffs.
In addition to Embiid, the Sixers roster featured solid role players who spaced the floor which Ben Simmons needs in order to flourish.
With this in mind, Mitchell did the same with less when you think about it. Last season, Spida played with a bunch of role players and no All-Star close to his talent (no disrespect). The 2017-18 Utah roster featured notable players such as Ricky Rubio, Rodney Hood (prior to the trade), Jae Crowder, Alec Burks, and Rudy Gobert to name a few.
Keep in mind that Mitchell led his team to the second round of the playoffs in the west. Imagine if the young guard had a high caliber center such as Embiid by his side. Right now, the 76ers have three All-Stars on their roster. No disrespect to Simmons, but a lot of his success comes from playing off of Embiid.
Granted this is not a knock on his success. But how would he do if the Sixers did not have Embiid? Could a franchise build around him and attract free agents to come to Philadelphia?
Spida Mitchell: Better All-Around Scorer
At the moment Simmons is probably the better player. Between Embiid, Simmons and Jimmy Butler it is clear who the number one option is (cough Butler). Nonetheless, Butler's dominance in Philadelphia has caused Embiid to become frustrated with his role.
The addition of Butler may ruin the dynamic of the Sixers or catapult them into the finals. In order for the 76ers to take the next step, Simmons needs to work on his shooting and becoming more aggressive on the offensive side of the ball.
On the contrary, Mitchell is clearly a better scorer than Simmons. Last season Mitchell led the team in scoring averaging 20.5 points per game. As a rookie, he finished the season with 20.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 34 percent from three.
Mitchell can score in the pick & roll, from all three levels of the floor and he is a solid free throw shooter. The fact that he can shoot makes it easier for him to develop. Again, Simmons will most likely improve his shot but it could be years before he is shooting a decent percentage from mid-range or three.
At this juncture selecting Mitchell over Simmons is ideal because of his shooting, versatility and his accomplishments in the Western Conference. Not to mention, the 6-foot-3 guard defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs. Last year's Thunder team included Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Paul George.
George guarded Mitchell and struggled to stay in front of the young guard. The debate between who is better and who should have won rookie of the year is still ongoing but the two will meet tonight.
The Jazz will host the 76ers tonight at 10:30 p.m. EST.
All stats for this article are from stats.nba.com.
Follow Us
Subscribe