New York Knicks: Full 2017 NBA Mock Draft With Upside Comparisons

12. Detroit Pistons: Donovan Mitchell, Louisville Cardinals

Ultimate Upside Comparison: Avery Bradley
Safe Upside Comparison: Courtney Lee
Position: Shooting Guard
Age: 20 (9/7/1996)
Height, Weight, Wingspan: 6’3″, 211 pounds, 6’10”
2016-17 Slash Line: .408/.354/.806
2016-17 Season Averages: 32.3 MPG, 15.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 2.1 SPG, 2.4 3PM

The Detroit Pistons have a borderline star in point guard Reggie Jackson and a rebounding machine in Andre Drummond. Beyond that duo—and, perhaps, including that duo—head coach Stan Van Gundy doesn’t have the greatest of tools to work with.

Defense should be the primary focus overall, but Detroit won’t take the next step until it finds a player who can consistently generate offense—and that’s where Donovan Mitchell comes in.

Mitchell compares favorably to Boston Celtics defensive ace Avery Bradley. He’s a solid ball-handler and 3-point shooter who can create in a pinch, but the strength of his game is that he can defend multiple positions and wreak havoc in the passing lanes.

Mitchell is undersized at 6’3″, similar to Bradley, but he has a 6’10” wingspan, a strong frame, and a willingness to defend that he learned under Rick Pitino.

A safer upside comparison would be to Courtney Lee, who has made a strong NBA living as a 3-and-D 2-guard. That’s not exactly encouraging for a team picking in the lottery, but it’s a sign that Mitchell’s NBA future should be solid based on his shooting and defense alone.

Mitchell’s upside is debatable and somewhat polarizing, but even the New York Knicks will have him on the draft board based on what he could become.