The Detroit Pistons liked Donovan Mitchell, and he liked the Pistons.
But when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the twelfth choice of the 2017 NBA project, Mitchell’s name was not called.
Detroit went with Luke Kennard, who had established himself as a well-rounded shooting guard after a successful two-year career at Duke. Both Mitchell and Kennard met a need, as the Pistons lacked a shooting guard with starting potential.
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Kennard was the safe choice. During his second season with the Blue Devils, he averaged 19.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists while firing 49% in total and 44% from behind the bow. He was named MVP of the ACC tournament and his combination of shooting and experience made him an attractive choice.
However, many analysts have seen Mitchell as an upward option. His second season in Louisville was not nearly as impressive as he averaged 15.6 points, 2.7 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game on 46.3 / 35.4 divisions. But athletically, it was on a different level. In the combine, it had the highest vertical jump (36.5 inches) and the fastest three-quarter sprint (3.01 seconds). He made the fourth highest vertical jump.
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It was an athlete caliber that the Pistons had not had in a wing position for years – perhaps from Grant Hill. But with significant wage commitments with Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson and Tobias Harris, in addition to the desire to chase the playoffs, the Pistons decided they couldn’t wait for the positive side of Mitchell to potentially pay off.
Three years later, Kennard is a reliable NBA winger and is coming out of his best statistical season, albeit during a shortened injury campaign. Mitchell, on the other hand, made his first All-Star appearance this season and is the main scoring option in a playoff team for the third consecutive year.
Fans ruined the decision to select Mitchell over Kennard. But draft decisions are not made in a vacuum, and even the analysis of such decisions must not be taken in a vacuum. It can be argued that the Pistons did not make the best possible choice in their draft position. But for a franchise known for its missed projects (hi, Darko), it should be noted that they didn’t even make the worst possible choice.
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In a redraft, Mitchell would go much higher than n. 13 in total. But Kennard would also have enlisted higher than many of the players selected before him.
‘Passed the test’
When asked to remember his draft with the Pistons two years ago, Mitchell recalled that he had done everything necessary to ensure their selection, if any.
“I did very well in the film session with Stan (Van Gundy),” said Mitchell in March 2018. “I watch a lot of movies, so I remember exactly what shows were performed. I remember the theater calls to college, where I should have been , when I was in certain positions. I thought I passed the test. This is it. I thought I nailed it. “
As Jazz prepares to resume the 2019-20 season in the Orlando bubble, Mitchell is in the middle of his best season. He averaged 24.2 points, 4.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds, with an overall shot of 45.3% and 36.4% from 3.
For a franchise that hasn’t been able to design and develop star talent in the past two decades, it’s clear why the 2017 draft is a sore point for Pistons fans. Three years later, the team is unloading their salary and preparing to undergo another reconstruction and under a new new office.
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With Mitchell, how different would the team be today? How would it affect the 2018 trade for Blake Griffin, if at all? The addition of Mitchell to a core that won 44 games in 2016 and broke a six-year playoff drought, on closer inspection, has an obvious appeal.
None of this should be held against Kennard, an excellent and constantly improving player. Kennard has averaged 15.8 career points and 4.1 assists this season, gaining 39.9% of his 3s. Tendinitis in both knees ended his season prematurely, but at his best, he gives the Pistons something they didn’t get from Rip Hamilton – a good shooter who can also handle secondary directing responsibilities.
His knee problems almost made him trade in February. He is now healthy. He will soon be eligible for an extension and will hit the free limited agency next summer. This is a retrospective story, not a forward-looking story, so we will soon stop the contract analysis. But his story, like Mitchell’s, is still being written.
If Kennard signed again with the Pistons and established himself as one of the best shooters in the NBA, it would make him one of the best draw choices in the franchise from Hill. This could say more about Detroit’s drafting than Kennard’s. It doesn’t take away from him the role of becoming a good player in the past three years.
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Mitchell may not have been the big shortcoming
As much as Mitchell has been, the player selected after him could be considered as good, if not better, in the coming seasons.
Bam Adebayo, selected 14th overall by Miamil, emerged as one of the best NBA big names after a breakout season. He averaged 16.2 points, 10.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists for Heat this year and earned an All-Star selection.
His demise sets him apart from the greatest men in the NBA. And after making a big jump in his third season, you can’t say how good he’ll be.
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Neither the Pistons nor Jazz needed a center in 2017, as they had Drummond and Rudy Gobert respectively. Detroit had ex-Kentucky champion Adebayo for a draft workout.
Adebayo’s emergency shows how unpredictable the editorial team is and how long it could take years to accurately declare any winner or loser.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa. Read more about Detroit slippers and sign up for ours Pistons newsletter.
