During Tom Thibodeau’s coaching career, he was able to train great men experienced in basketball. Joakim Noah was, at one point, one of the league’s best passing men during the Thibs era. Even Karl-Anthony Towns has no problem when it comes to having the ball in his hands.
During his first two years in the league, Mitch had minimal contact with basketball. When it does, it must crush the ball or block an opponent’s shot. Mitch rarely puts the ball on the floor unless there is anyone to protect it nearby.
As the Knicks strive to build a competitive team, they will have to understand that opponents will begin to take advantage of Mitch’s lack of comfort in dribbling basketball. This does not mean that Mitch should be as skilled as Nikola Jokic or even Julius Randle. He doesn’t need the passing skills of Joakim Noah or Kyle O’Quinn. However, the Knicks should entrust Mitch to perform some basketball actions.
A simple tip would be to learn how to start a hand-off dribbling (DHO) to get an open three. Sure, the Knicks could use multiple three-point shooters, but we’ve seen the effectiveness of DHO both in the regular season and in the playoffs.
Another option is to learn to shoot from the post. A simple two dribble that leads to a hook shot can keep defenses honest. Each of these options will work wonders in expanding Mitch’s offensive arsenal and forcing teams to respect his presence on the floor. As a result, this also offers better opportunities for teammates to get simpler units for paint or simpler perimeter shots.