Davion Mitchell has made it abundantly clear. He's gunning for the NBA's Most Improved Player of the Year award. He may not have said it publicly, but posting a picture of "MIP" drawn in the sand sends a pretty clear message.
With the work that Mitchell has put into this offseason, how can you blame him? Mitchell has been chronicling his workouts this summer, and it doesn't seem like he's taken any time off. He understands how important this season is and is approaching it with the necessary urgency.
Mitchell has had a career revival with the Heat during the year and a half that he's been in Miami, but clearly thinks that the best is yet to come. Not only is Mitchell playing to fulfill the role needed next to Giannis Antetokounmpo as the team's full-time starting point guard, but he's also playing for a new contract.
Davion Mitchell has a lot on the line this season with the Heat
In the final year of his deal with the Heat, there are both team and individual motivators for Mitchell. And if he were to follow through with this "goal" that he's set for himself, there's no question it will pay off for both the Heat (as a team) and for Mitchell (individually).
For Mitchell, though, if he excels as the new starting point guard for the Heat, the rest will take care of itself. And, based on how serious his approach has been all offseason long, that's the tactic that he appears to be taking.
It's impossible to predict how it will all end for the Heat and Mitchell, but there's no question that their success is tied to each other heading into the first year of the Giannis era. Miami felt comfortable enough not to sign a veteran guard to beef up their backcourt. That speaks to their confidence in Mitchell as their full-time starting lead guard.
And Mitchell has seemingly been putting in the work to back that up.
Through it all, no matter how this season plays out for both the Heat and Mitchell, you have to give him credit. Mitchell hasn't shied away from the pressure at all. The Heat have placed a lot of it on Mitchell, and he hasn't hesitated one bit.
In fact, Mitchell might've just gotten all the way to call his own shot. That's how confident he is heading into this season.
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