Roundtable: Would Rudy Gobert or Donovan Mitchell Fit with the Hornets?
In our first installment of the All Hornets Roundtable, our crew discusses which current member of the Utah Jazz would be a better fit for the Hornets - Rudy Gobert or Donovan Mitchell.
See what our staff thinks below.
Schuyler Callihan
For me, it's Donovan Mitchell. Look, I know how badly the Hornets need to add a big but Mitchell is one of game's best scorers. There were too many games this past season where the Hornets were unable to close the deal or come from behind because they didn't have a legit threat offensively to go off for 30 or 40 on any given night. LaMelo Ball may transform into that over time but, I still seem him averaging 20-25 at best.
James Plowright
I imagine I’ll disagree with most here, but I would actually prefer Donovan Mitchell. Yes Charlotte lack a rim protector, but they also struggle for a “go-to” option in crunch time when the game slows down. Mitchell can be the go to, isolation scorer Charlotte needs to take the pressure off the others. The rim protecting, rebounding big is much easier to find in FA or via trade than an elite shot maker. The other important fracture to take into account is the contracts. Mitchell is locked up for $32 per year compared to Gobert for $41 per year. That $9 million saving could get you Zubac or Hartenstein this free agency.
Israel Omondi
Rudy Gobert is easily the best fit for Charlotte. Over the past two seasons, Charlotte has suffered greatly from their lack of paint protection and an interior defender. They’ve finished in the bottom half of the league in defensive rating the last two seasons. Rudy Gobert, widely regarded as the best paint defender in the league, fills an immediate need. It’s already been shown in Utah that Gobert himself can make a team a top-10 defense with poor perimeter defenders surrounding him. Gobert makes PJ Washington’s job a lot easier defensively. He also provides LaMelo with a lob threat at the center position that he hasn't had in his first two seasons. Also Gobert's elite vertical spacing allows LaMelo to get easier looks in the floater range.
The addition of Donovan Mitchell doesn’t help solve the defensive problems. He’s a poor perimeter defender and undersized which makes him a bad long-term fit defensively with LaMelo. Mitchell definitely makes the offense more dynamic, but with his addition Charlotte would have to surround LaMelo and Mitchell with great defenders. They’d also need a jump defensively from Miles Bridges to even be a respectable defense.
Mark Biernacki
Hornets fans have been begging for a solid defensive center for nearly the past decade. While Donovan Mitchell may be the better player in a vacuum- Gobert fills the Hornets biggest need.
Laquan Robinson
I feel like it depends really on the roster changes. If Terry Rozier and/or Gordon Hayward are gone, then it makes Mitchell appealing but a motivated Rudy could create a defensive identity for Charlotte. So, if it were out of the two with the roster as is, I'd lean Gobert. With the shooting the Hornets have currently, the space/playmaking should open up more easy points for Rudy as well. My only issue is his contract. Hayward, Terry or Miles somebody would have to go to bring him in.
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