The Utah Jazz enjoyed rare depth last season, boasting the two leading candidates for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award in Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles. Each man had a strong case for the award. Clarkson typified the expectations of a sixth man as Quin Snyder’s spark-plug scorer, averaging 24.8 points per 36 minutes.
Meanwhile, Joe Ingles functioned in more of a utility role, and it made him an analytics darling. The crafty Aussie posted a 2.5 Value Over Replacement Player (VORP) and 3.4 Box Plus/Minus (BPM), marks that made him arguably the most valuable reserve in the NBA.
Looking ahead at the young 2021-22 NBA season, both members of the Utah Jazz figure to be in contention for the Sixth Man of the Year award once more. However, in such a deeply talented NBA, several teams boast bench players that will give both Jazzmen a run for their money this season.
Here’s where we have Jordan Clarkson, the incumbent recipient of the award, stacking up with his competition over the 2021-22 season.
Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson vs Brooklyn Nets guard Patty Mills
Patty Mills finds himself in a unique situation. Having spent the vast majority of his 12-year career under the tutelage of Gregg Popovich as a San Antonio Spur, he joined the potentially dynastic Brooklyn Nets over the 2021-22 offseason.
Mills has always had the type of game that lends itself to Sixth Man of the Year consideration, but players in San Antonio have a tendency to forego statistical output in the name of pass-heavy, team-first basketball. Now, as a Brooklyn Net, he may get the opportunity to unleash his full individual potential.
It certainly appeared that way in Brooklyn’s season opener. They may have suffered a tremendous loss to the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, but it’s hard to pin that on Mills. He had 21 points on 7/11 shooting from the field, including a scorching 7/7 from three-point land.
If he can keep that pace up, Utah Jazz fans can forget about either of their Sixth Man of the Year candidates bringing home the gold.
On a related note: Patty Mills will not shoot 100% from three this season. Even then, he may have other barriers to the award: namely, his role as a bench player. If Kyrie Irving is unable (unwilling?) to return, and Mills maintains that level of production, Steve Nash may be forced to insert him into his starting group.
He’s unlikely to complain about such a development, but it would take him out of the running for the Sixth Man of the Year award.