NBA 2k23 ratings are way off for these 3 Cavs players

NBA 2K23 ratings are off for these Cavs: Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell as an 88 total ranking in NBA 2K23, good for 21st overall. On the surface that number seems fine; it’s the same as Rudy Gobert and Paul George, just a point behind Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving and Karl-Anthony Towns. Hopefully his play this season will help him ascend a couple of points as the games go by, but for now it’s a good spot and the best rating on the team (Darius Garland is an 87).

Dig a little deeper, though, and the path to that rating becomes a little bit suspect. One of the biggest questions about the Cavs’ trade for Mitchell has been the defensive fit between him and Garland, as Mitchell has some serious defensive concerns. He was on the negative side of the ledger in both Defensive EPM (-0.8) and Defensive Box Plus-Minus (-0.3) last season, and in the playoffs each of the past two seasons was absolutely roasted by opposing guards on the perimeter.

There is hope that Mitchell can grow in that area with a deeper defensive ecosystem around him, but for now the reality is that he is a poor defender overall and a very poor perimeter defender. Yet his rating in that area according to the game itself is a “B+” which translates to a 79 numerically. That’s inside the top 60 in the entire league in that statistic.

Players who also have a 79 in perimeter defense include Gary Payton II, whose perimeter defense just helped the Golden State Warriors win the championship, Herbert Jones and Dorian Finney-Smith. Torrey Craig, Jevon Carter Bruce Brown Jr. and Terry Rozier, all players who are known for their perimeter defense, come in ranked lower than Mitchell. On his own team Isaac Okoro, the team’s best defensive stopper, is just a point better at 80, and Ricky Rubio clocks in below Mitchell.

That’s a bonkers rating from the 2K developers. Mitchell has a lot to offer offensively, but his defense needs some work. According to NBA 2K23, it’s already good to go.