Roughly 48 hours their worst offensive performance of the season, the Miami Heat followed up with one of their best Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks, scoring 131 points while canning 23 3-pointers, one of tying a franchise record, in their 22-point win.
Perfectly in the mix of that was new Heat guard Davion Mitchell, who scored 20 points on 7-of-8 shooting and 5-of-5 from beyond the arc, in addition to six assists and two steals in 37 minutes.
While we are still seven games into the “Mitchell era” in Miami, the 6-foot-2 guard’s quickly become a very trusted piece in Erik Spoelstra’s rotation, creating an interesting question ahead of the offseason.
Davion Mitchell is a restricted free agent after 2024-25. Should Heat prioritize retaining him?
In seven games, Mitchell, a former top-10 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, is averaging 10.0 points, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals on 55.1 percent shooting, including 46.2 percent from distance and 80.0 percent from the free-throw line.
Obviously, his 46.2 3-point percentage is inflated by his most recent performance. It was the second time in his four-year career where he sank at least five 3-pointers and only the ninth time where he’s made at least four. Thus, don’t expect it to be a common occurrence.
In his first six with the Heat, he was converting at a modest 33.3 percent clip; for the season leading into Wednesday, he was knocking down 35.5 percent of his 2.8 3-point attempts per game.
His 3-point shooting, however, is the cherry on top for what he offers most: Point-of-attack defense. Mitchell is a bulldog defensively with elite screen navigation, superb hands and uncanny energy.
His assist rate has dropped over eight percentage points while his usage has dipped 1.4 points since joining the Heat. Mitchell’s an improved passer since he first entered the league ahead of 2021-22, so I’m not worried about that.
Most of all, he’s been a stabilizing presence alongside Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins and Bam Adebayo.
He was brought in to be the Dru Smith replacement–but he may ultimately be the Smith replacement after the 6-foot-4 guard’s undergone two consecutive season-ending injuries (knee, achilles), which will be extra difficult to come back from.
Mitchell, 26, has already surpassed expectations. While he may not be a starting guard permanently, it’s difficult to deny the intrinsic value he’s provided on both ends in such a short time with the Heat–even though he’s still far from perfect offensively. The Baylor alum will need to continue to remain aggressive offensively and keep the defense honest when they’re sagging off.
Restricted free agents at Mitchell’s cost are easier to retain, so I think the Heat should definitely consider retaining him. He’s a #HEATCulture™ type player.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments!
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Definitely keep Davion…I have been very impressed with him here in Toronto
Maybe my new favorite player on the Heat
I hope he will agree to a team friendly contract so we can keep him around. Definitely a Heat type player.
Mitchell has found a home with the Heat where he can demonstrate all he has to offer. Playing behind Fox in his first three years in Sacramento then playing this year with lowly Toronto, he hasn’t had the opportunity to blossom or show his full potential. At minimum, he is an excellent back-up (rotation) point guard. At best, he is a starting point guard good for 10-12 points, 4-5 assists, excellent defense and a stabilizing influence as a starter. Hopefully, Miami offers him a fair extension (3 years/$30M sounds about right to me). That would lock him until 2027-2028.
P.S. Mitchell is 6’0″ not 6’2″.
I like him too. Along with his other skills, he definitely brings the d.
Spot on