[r377Participant]

I’ve made it known I am not a huge fan of Donovan Mitchell.  Is he a good player ?  Yes he is, but quite a few on here got way too excited last season calling him a future all -star, HOF, once in a generation player etc last season.

I am not a huge fan of his, good player but not elite.  Plays too much hero ball and is not a great 3point shooter.

I’ve always thought D’Angelo russell would be a good player, likely all-star ever since I watched him in college.  He has started off a bit rocky, but i always thought he would be better than Lonzo Ball.

Who will have the better career ?   

At this stage i am leaning towards D’Angelo Russell – better shooter and passer.  He just needs to mature. Both guys are aged 22.

Neg away…..

 

 

 

[Arc12345Participant]

I really respect your boldness. I like both players, and they’re extremely different.

Mitchell reminds me of a better shooting Wade, and I’m really not sure who Russell reminds me of…maybe a significantly less athletic Harden? Regardless, they’re both very good.

I think most people would take Mitchell because of the athletic upside and physicality, which I think allows him to play much bigger than his height. They’re both long (roughly 6’10 wingspans), but I think most would say Russell probably "plays smaller" than he actually is. I really think Donovan is just as good of a shooter as Russell although percentages may not show it.

Russell is a much better playmaker, passer, and does play with more pace. I think it depends what you’re looking for. It’s clear that the Lakers probably should’ve kept Russell over Zo, as I think he’s a much better fit next to Lebron with his shooting, but hindsight is 20/20 and there were a variety of other reasons Russell was traded.

 

 

 

[ChoppyParticipant]

See, I like posts like this, where the OP isn’t afraid to voice a potentially unpopular opinion. Kudos.

To answer your question, I’ll go Mitchell, purely on his defensive potential. With experience he can improve his shot selection and decision making as a playmaker, which will go a long way to improving his efficiency. Russell I don’t think will be much more than he is. He will always be more of a natural playmaker, and the flashier player, but his defence isn’t as good.

[cohenbc1Participant]

This would have sounded ridiculous a few months ago, but Mitchell is struggling this season as defenses focus on him, and Russell is playing well. Still, Mitchell performed at a very high level for a legit playoff team, something Russell has never done. It could be all about the circumstances though. Right now I would take Mitchell over Russell on my team without even thinking hard, but would it surprise me if sometime in the next five years, Russell is an all-star and Mitchell is not? No, not really.

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

I have to go with Mitchell and it’s not a particularly tough decision. Are there some holes in his game that he needs to address? Absolutely. He kind of came out of nowhere last season. Teams have a more detailed scouting report on his game this season and he is struggling to adjust. It’s not uncommon for guys in his situation to take a temporary step back. But I just think his long-term upside is just so much greater than Russell due to his high level athleticism.

Russell was a guy I loved coming out of college but have kind of soured on as his career has progressed. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a solid player with a strong iq and skill set. His playmaking skills are clearly more advanced than Mitchell at this stage. I just don’t really think you can build a team around him. He’s basically a volume shooter who cannot consistently get to the basket and finish or draw fouls. He struggles to beat nba defenders off the dribble without a screen and settles for a lot of contested jumpers. I just think his lack of athleticism will probably prevent him from ever being an efficient scorer in a high usage role and I think he will probably always struggle somewhat defensively.

Mitchell is the better player right now and far and away has more long-term upside imo.

 

 

  

[BeastMode716Participant]

 overboard his Rookie year – I blame the League & the Media for this but it’s our fault too – b/c as Fans our generation want 24/7/365 NBA & NFL coverage 

Our generation does not really care about MLB, NHL or NCAA – I think NBA & NFL Fantasy Sports has a Lot to do w/ that b/c 10, 15, 20, 30 years ago the Rookie or the Year award was not a big deal & other than the bottom teams no one really cared about the Draft either – Not at this level anyway 

So b/c as Fans we Demand more NBA & NFL content we see younger Players covered in Massive depth so Much more coverage is devoted to Potential Lottery Draft picks & Rookies 

We seem to forget that the NBA is a MAN’s League – a Grown @ss Man’s League & even the Very Best players don’t really reach Full poetential until 24 years old or there around

Micthell was dropped a Little bit but Not the way it’s being made out – Mitchell is a Very good player – still developing & D’Lo is growing into a very good NBA player. D’Lo is the better Shooter & D’Mitch gives you the Defense, toughness, Penetration & Maturity – Depends what your team needs are 

But remember Both these guys are Young & will continue to get better in the years ahead 

 

 

 

 

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