Davion Mitchell has set a big defensive goal for himself, and it would put him in rare Miami Heat company.
A few days ago, Mitchell said his personal aim is to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year. If he somehow gets there, he would become the first Heat player to win the award since Alonzo Mourning did it in back-to-back seasons in 1999 and 2000.
That kind of target is not crazy talk from a guy who already does serious damage on that end. Mitchell is one of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders, and he brings a level of aggression that jumps off the screen every time he’s out there. You notice him immediately when the Heat are defending.
But winning Defensive Player of the Year as a guard is a different beast. The cleanest recent blueprint belongs to Marcus Smart, the last guard to take home the award and the first guard to do it in 26 years, dating back to Gary Payton. Smart’s Celtics were a defensive machine, finishing first in defensive rating, opponent points per game, opponent field goal percentage, and opponent 3-point percentage.
Smart had plenty of help, of course. That Boston group also had Al Horford, Robert Williams, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown in the starting lineup. Still, Smart was the engine that helped make that defense what it was.
That’s the challenge for Mitchell in Miami. The Heat already have strong defensive pieces around him, and the source material makes the case that their personnel may be even better than what Smart had in Boston. That can help, but it also means Mitchell has to separate himself enough to become the face of the group.
The other part of the Smart formula is versatility. Smart could switch onto just about anyone, and he was even used as a defender against Joel Embiid. If Mitchell can prove he has that same kind of range, then he can start forcing his way into real All-Defensive and award conversations as a guard.
He’ll also need the health piece to go his way, along with some luck in the 65-game threshold. For a dark horse candidate, that matters. And if Mitchell is going to have any real shot, Bam Adebayo would have to be in that mix too.
How outlandish that sounds.
In Other News...
Heat May Have Found A Giannis Fit They Didn't Expect
Simone Fontecchio has quietly given Miami a reason to pay attention this preseason. In the game against Brooklyn, the Heat wing put up 11 points in less than 14 minutes and knocked down 3 of 4 shots from deep, a useful reminder of why his floor-spacing profile matters. Last season, he connected on 37.5 percent of his three-pointers, and that kind of shooting is exactly the sort of skill set that can travel in a rotation built around a star who draws so much defensive attention.
For the Heat, the appeal is less about flash and more about fit. Fontecchio does not need the ball to matter, and if his outside shot holds, he could become the kind of depth piece that quietly makes lineups work better alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. The preseason sample is still small, of course, but Miami has every reason to keep tracking whether this is a hot stretch or the start of something more reliable. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Just Sent A Clear Signal About Their Young Frontcourt
The Heat continued shaping their developmental pipeline by signing forward Ezra Ausar to an Exhibit 10 contract and waiving Ian Schieffelin in a corresponding move. Both players are expected to land with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, giving Miami another look at young frontcourt talent as the organization trims down its roster ahead of the regular season.
For a team that has long valued internal development, the latest transaction fits neatly into the bigger picture. Exhibit 10 deals can help funnel prospects into the G-League system, and with the Skyforce standing as Miamis main proving ground, this move adds another name to the mix as the Heat continue finalizing the young core they want in place for the year ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Bam Adebayos Absence Puts Miamis New Frontcourt Plans On Edge
Bam Adebayo will sit out the Miami Heats final preseason game with a groin injury, staying back in Miami while the team heads to face the Orlando Magic. Its the latest missed chance for the Heat to see how their frontcourt is coming together, and it comes after Adebayo was already unavailable for previous preseason games as the staff continued sorting through rotations and options.
Erik Spoelstra has leaned on alternatives such as Nick Richards while Adebayo has been out, but the bigger question is still hanging over the start of the season. Adebayos status for the regular-season opener remains uncertain, leaving Miami to keep evaluating how it wants to piece together the front line if its anchor big man is not ready to go. [Read more 🡒]