New York Knicks: Is Donovan Mitchell An Option In 2017 NBA Draft?

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Mar 19, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Donovan Mitchell (45) is defended by Michigan Wolverines guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (12) during the second half in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Playmaking Ability

The primary appeal of the triangle offense is that it does what every great system does: it blurs the lines of positional roles. Rather than forcing one player to create for everyone, it enables the contributors to perform well both with and without the ball.

The primary playmaker needs to be able to create at a respectable level, but the New York Knicks don’t exactly need a master facilitator.

Donovan Mitchell projects to be capable of facilitating at a respectable level in the NBA. That’s supported by Mitchell averaging 3.4 assists per 40 minutes during his two-year collegiate career, during which he primarily played as a secondary facilitator.

If Mitchell’s ability to create for others is translatable to the NBA, then the Knicks could utilize him in a versatile capacity as both a point guard and a shooting guard.

This is a bit of a stretch, but the ambitious statement is founded in some measure of reality. Mitchell handled the ball well at Louisville and was tasked with both scoring and facilitating, a combination which not all players are capable of providing.

If the Knicks are going to commit to the triangle offense, then finding guards who can create from either spot will be imperative.

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