Sixth Man: Joe Johnson
According to a tweet from Tony Jones, Utah Jazz Head Coach Quin Snyder believes Joe Johnson should be right in the thick of things for the NBA’s version of this award.
Quin Snyder said the Jazz have high hopes for Joe Johnson this season, says he could be sixth man of the year
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) October 6, 2017
Hard to argue with Coach Snyder. The ageless Johnson has made a living off his uncanny ability to score in isolation. That was as prevalent as ever in the Jazz-Clippers first-round playoff series last season. While he may not get much more than about 20 minutes per night, Johnson always seems to make the most of his time on the floor. He should also see an increased role near the end of the season, especially if the Jazz are making a push for a playoff spot or positioning.
Runner-up: Donovan Mitchell
With Dante Exum out with a potentially season-ending shoulder injury, Mitchell should benefit as much as anyone from an increased role (See: Three silver linings to the Dante Exum injury).
The 13th overall pick in the draft looks ahead of schedule and could be a contributing member of the Jazz rotation from day one. Mitchell has had an up and down preseason, but his performance last night against the Suns (17 points in 23 minutes) looks promising.
While preseason must be taken with a grain of salt and Mitchell is destined to have his fair share of rookie mistakes, I fully expect him to be an integral part of Utah’s bench rotation this season.