Sean Woodley here, the host of the daily Locked On Raptors podcast, with your daily Locked On Raptors newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Raptors and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Davion Mitchell drives me crazy, and I kinda like it?
Nov 6, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Davion Mitchell (45) directs the offense during the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images|Ed Szczepanski/Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
It’d be boring if every player on every team was good, all the time. Metronomic consistency is great for winning basketball games or whatever, but over the course of an 82-game grind, no one wants total predictability. We need complex characters to bring the season to life; guys who leave you exasperated one night only to bring you right back on board the next.
Chris Boucher has long occupied this role for the Raptors. The count on the amount of times I’ve been in then out then in again on Boucher since 2018 is into the hundreds by now. For every wonky closeout or wack bit of shot selection there’s a random heater or stuffed three-point attempt that balances out the befuddlement. Boucher maybe hasn’t beefed up the Raptors’ win total much in seven years with the team, but he’s absolutely enriched the viewing experience through times both bright and dark, last night’s first half outburst (13 points, three triples) being the latest example.
I’m starting to grow a similar appreciation for Davion Mitchell. I’ll admit, coming into the year I did not have high hopes for this particular second draft flier. Mitchell never really popped off the screen for me as a member of some fun Kings teams that I watched a ton of, and his sketchy three-point stroke from the guard position had me dubious of the kind of impact he could have on a team with decidedly less space than he’d been surrounded by in his first NBA home. I was expecting to not enjoy the Mitchell experience in Toronto, and his first few games of the year didn’t help dispel those preconceptions.
I’m coming around, though. Being a sucker for a good revenge game, I think it really clicked in for me on Wednesday night: Davion Mitchell drives me nuts, but in a way that I’m very much into.
What the hell is the deal with Mitchell’s compulsion to make every pass a laser beam? Kicks to the corner, standard perimeter swings, interior dump-offs to guys standing three feet away: if there’s a basic pass to be thrown, he’s putting Gerrit Cole levels of mustard on it. And like baseball’s most powerful pitchers, Mitchell’s control can be finicky. His teammates always gotta be ready to pick balls out of the dirt.
It’s the sort of dumbfounding yet kinda charming tick you can live with on nights where Mitchell is marauding in transition, harassing opposing lead guards, and finding ways to slice into the defense in spite of his minimal shooting threat like he did in his return to Sacramento. You know at the core, Mitchell’s darts are a symptom of being a try-hard, the most noble of foibles.
20 points, six assists, 8/11 shooting, and a couple of threes on three tries; he was the best player on the floor for the Raptors in their seventh loss of the year. Much like Boucher, a couple distance shots dropping drastically levels Mitchell’s effectiveness up.
In my urge to critique Mitchell’s iffy pick-and-roll craft, or the moments where his turbo jets out pace his ability to make sound decisions, I need to remind myself he’s currently doing a job he was not cast for. It’s OK that he’s an imperfect starting point guard, because he’s not a starting point guard. Once Immanuel Quickley returns — reportedly as soon as this weekend now that he’s been cleared for contact — Mitchell will take up the backup guard role he’s proven he can probably handle perfectly well. He’ll surely do maddening stuff, even in a job more befitting of his talents, but that’s OK. There’s room for guys who toe the line between awesome and infuriating. Unique player idiosyncrasies give basketball its colour. Without the Davion Mitchells of the world, you might as well just sim to the final buzzer.
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Today on the podcast I dig into the Raptors’ 122-107 loss to the Kings, what went wrong in the 4th quarter, Mitchell’s best night as a Raptor and, sigh, more bad injury luck. Enjoy the show!
We’re about 10% of the way through the season, which means we’ve seen enough of the rookie class to make iron-clad judgments on them that will never change. First impression, last impression.
Kidding, of course; sample sizes are still small, and both we and the debutants themselves are learning a ton. Watching this class take their first baby-giraffe steps in the league has been a blast, so I’ve selected four rookies worth discussing.
1) Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
Edey’s performance has been predictably up-and-down. On the one hand, he’s started to figure out how to defend without fouling. After infamously fouling out in just 15 minutes in his NBA debut, Edey hasn’t accrued more than three infractions in any of his last six games (although he did pick up three in just 15 minutes last night). Opponents are shooting just 55.6% against him at the rim, a better number than Anthony Davis or Rudy Gobert, and they take fewer attempts at the rim when he’s on the court. There’s a slight deterrence factor already at play.
Edey had a game where he went 11-for-12 from the field, but most of his damage has been done on putbacks and dump-offs. He has only generated 13 points on his 21 post-up possessions, a terrible mark, and his beloved hook shot has abandoned him.
Most peculiarly, a man I predicted might lead the league in screen assists has not been nearly as impactful a screener as I expected. Part of that is the Grizzlies leaning a bit away from the pick-and-roll-centric attack they’ve heavily featured in the past, and part is on some junior-high-school-level chemistry with Ja Morant (see here, where Edey whiffs on the screen and then can’t get to the lob quick enough). That said, he’s already mastered the rolling Gortat screen, a key tool for creating space for Morant. Now, he just needs more reps.
Mike Shearer (@bballispoetry) has written about the NBA full-time since 2021 at various and sundry places. For more from Mike, check out his Substack bestseller, Basketball Poetry, where he uses unnecessary metaphors and the occasional haiku to discuss the NBA’s happenings with an analytical lens.
Home and Away
Personnel Analysis It’s an all-Raptors mailbag. Topics include Scottie Barnes’ future and the team’s playoff hopes. (Sports Illustrated)
Feel Good Former Raptor Lou Williams reflects on his time with the team, sharing insights on Drake and DeMar. (Sports Illustrated)
Must Read Over the years, the NBA has learned to embrace activism and social justice. Read more. (TIME)
Legacy Reflecting on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s impact — here’s how he changed the rules for Black athletes. (National Endowment for the Humanities)
Analysis How did Sterling Brown get the NBA to listen to its players? (The Daily Beast)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Zaccharie Risacher’s Big Night Brings Fantasy Basketball Questions
Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) shoots over New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) during the second half at State Farm Arena.|Photo by Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
In the world of fantasy basketball, player performances can fluctuate wildly, and Wednesday’s games were no exception. While Zach Edey had previously dazzled fans with a standout performance against the Nets, his recent outing was less than stellar. Facing tougher competition, Edey managed just eight points and seven rebounds in 15 minutes. This game served as a reminder that while Edey has potential, consistency is key, and fantasy managers should be cautious about overcommitting to him based on a single strong performance.
On the flip side, Zaccharie Risacher delivered a performance that turned heads and could have significant fantasy implications. Starting for the Atlanta Hawks, Risacher exploded for 33 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks. His shooting was on point, and he contributed across multiple categories, making him a hot commodity in fantasy leagues. With De’Andre Hunter still sidelined, Risacher’s role in the starting lineup seems secure for now, and his ability to fill the stat sheet makes him a valuable asset.
Risacher’s breakout game highlights the importance of monitoring player roles and opportunities. While his previous performances were inconsistent, this game showcased his potential when given the chance. Fantasy managers should consider adding Risacher, especially if he continues to see significant minutes and usage.
As always, staying updated on player performances and team dynamics is crucial for fantasy success. Keep an eye on how these players develop in the coming games, and adjust your fantasy strategies accordingly. For more insights and analysis, be sure to follow the latest episodes of the Locked On Fantasy Basketball podcast.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Raptors podcasts.
Thursday — Would you rather be the Raptors or Sixers for the next 5 years? w/ Trill Bro Dude Sean is joined by Trill Bro Dude from the You Know Ball podcast to talk about the Raptors and Sixers, both near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, but with very different outlooks both now and in the future.
Wednesday — What’s More Likely?! featuring Hot Take Heindl Sean is joined by Katie Heindl (Locked On Newsletters) to play a few rounds of our favourite parlour game: What’s More Likely?! We get into either-or questions about Jakob Poeltl’s future in Toronto, how the Raptors stack up with the Bucks and Sixers, and who will start more games to close the season between Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick. This episode also features the debut of Hot Take Heindl, the greatest take artist to ever live.
Tuesday — RJ Barrett plays closer vs. Pacers; Raptors snap 7-game losing stream Sean and Vivek Jacob (Raptors in 7, Sportsnet) talk about the Raptors’ 130-119 win over the Pacers, RJ Barrett’s masterful work on the ball and where it fits into the team when Scottie Barnes comes back, Jakob Poeltl’s heater and The Good, The Bad & The Hmm from Monday’s game.
