Why popular podcast says Cavaliers’ Mitchell is not best shooting guard

Final Verdict on ranking Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell

So what’s the final verdict? Both Duncan and Leroux chose to slot Mitchell below Devin Booker and above James Harden. Their point about Mitchell’s size and lineup versatility is absolutely correct, and on an average NBA team it would be a problem more than Booker’s limitations. Booker would fit more easily on more teams, is an incredible offensive player, and he has earned his top ranking, just above Mitchell. I agree with Duncan and Lerouz there.

The good news for the Cavaliers is that Mitchell isn’t playing on an average team; he is playing for this team, and they have perhaps the best situation in the league for fitting Mitchell in. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley are a fearsome frontcourt combination, and they can help make up for Mitchell’s size in a way most other teams can’t (shouts to Milwaukee and Memphis for also falling into this camp).

Booker will face this season’s playoffs with a better offensive co-star than he has ever had in Kevin Durant, but without the defensive security blanket of Mikal Bridges. What will his impact look like now? Similarly, Mitchell will get to battle in the postseason with the best defensive infrastructure of his career and see if he can push higher than ever before.

Both Donovan Mitchell and Devin Booker are incredibly talented, exceptionally prolific, and interestingly similar in how they play basketball. Their battle for the top of the shooting guard rankings should go on for a long time, and Mitchell has plenty of opportunity to prove he belongs on the top of the list.