The Miami Heat are going to need a lot of guys to step up into larger roles than they are accustomed to next season. One of those guys is Davion Mitchell, who will likely walk into next year as the Heat’s top point guard option. And according to Bam Adebayo – in a slightly back-handed compliment type of way – he’s ready for the challenge.
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel posted this to social media on Sunday afternoon: “Bam Adebayo, with the widest of grins, in the most playful of manners, on teammate Davion Mitchell, ‘Man, Davion's not fat anymore. You know, he's not fat anymore. He got himself in shape.’”
From the sound of it, Mitchell may be in the best shape of his career heading into a season where the Heat are going to need him more than ever.
Heat need Davion Mitchell to make another leap as a point guard
The Heat’s big move of the offseason came with their trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, in the trade, they shipped out a ton of ball-handling options. And they haven’t really filled the holes.
Miami tried to sign LeBron James in free agency, but he ended up picking the Philadelphia 76ers. And in response, the Heat have remained quiet. They haven’t made a ton of moves around Antetokounmpo and Adebayo this summer.
That’s where Mitchell could come into play. As noted, he’s Miami’s best option at the point guard position heading into next year, and he’ll need to play that role very, very well.
Tyler Herro is gone. Kasparas Jakucionis is gone. Even Jaime Jaquez Jr., who was a big-time transition threat, is gone. Miami’s ball-handling options are as thin as ever.
Antetokounmpo and Adebayo will have the ball in their hands a lot, but they still need some help on the perimeter. And Mitchell will have a chance to be a go-to playmaker for them.
Last season, Mitchell averaged a career-high 6.5 assists per game and turned the ball over just 1.5 times per contest. Those are pretty good numbers, and according to Adebayo, he wasn’t even in the best shape.
The new-and-improved, ‘not fat’ Mitchell could be ready to take yet another leap as a point guard, and that’s on top of the lockdown defense he’s become known for.
Adebayo thinks Mitchell is ready. He thinks he’s improved his body a lot. And now, the Heat need him to keep improving on the court as well.
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