I think Mobley can potentially be DPOY. Even if he's not a total beast on the boards, which he might be, he can still protect the rim and be disruptive on the perimeter. That's super rare combo in a big man. Centers like Brook Lopez and Turner are already good defensively, imagine if they were as mobile as Mobley. There's no guarantee Mobley will be elite, but the tools and instincts are there. I don't know if he's explosive enough to be that rim runner and lob threat you're imagining. He doesn't have Amare or Dwight's athleticism. He'll need to be more skill based and even then it's hard to average 20 a night. I think Pau was one of the most talented low post bigs in the league, had a great jumper and passing ability, was very quick for a 7 footer, and still only averaged 20ppg twice in his career. Mobley does not have a dominant physical profile. Without an elite jumper he'll never average 20. Al Horford does all the things Mobley is slated to do and has also never averaged 20.
Can someone please name for the me the last team that won a title around an elite big they drafted? I get that defense wins championships, but I can't think of even once in the modern basketball era where a team took an elite big to the title without first pairing them with an elite wing/guard scorer. Let's face it - having an elite big is a nice to have but it's not how you build a modern contending team - positionless basketball, rule changes that favor wing scorers, and the discovery of the real value of the 3pt shot have all tipped the scales in favor of wings and guards over bigs when it comes to winning a title. You can win an MVP as an elite big, but clearly an analysis of the last 20+ years of NBA title contenders backs up my point....so maybe Mobley is a better player than Green but if guards with elite offensive skills keep winning championships, then maybe we should consider that in how we build a contender rather than pure player evaluations. Thats the difference between simple comparisons and having a strategy for a very specific goal(winning a title).
I didnt think that looked nearly as damning as you have been describing it. He scored or assisted on a third of his team's points.
For a guy touted to be "the best in the draft" really? He seemed like just a guy to me, or someone you could find in the 2nd round if you choose to ignore the "potential" arguments. Did he really look like a top 3 pick to you in that clip? So at pick #2 we are going to go with a defensive specialist who can make an easy pass? Yikes.
It's certainly better than using it on someone who can't play any defense and can't be counted on to pass.....
I am not saying that it is a given that he could be a 20 ppg scorer. I think 16-18 is probably more realistic. I think Mobley is a more talented offensive player than Clint Capela or Rudy Gobert and those guys averaged 14-15 a night this season. Id say that is Mobley's floor offensively (with 2/3 assists per game.
There isn’t one. Older heads just like salivating at the thought of a dominant big man. But the way today’s is set up it’s very hard for a big man to dominate. This is a guard centric league, you don’t need a unicorn big man. You need guards that can score, facilitate and play defense when needed to get stops. It’s surprising to me so many people after watching 9 years of Harden and all the success we had think we need an elite big man. No… we need an elite guard and some bugs who can be good roll men and get rebounds.
Spoiler And if the suns win, include Ayton. If the Bucks win, include Giannis. Those are the championship bigs of the past 20 years. The point here is, outside of ONE team in the past 20 years, specifically the 2017 and 18 Warriors, every other team had a big as one of their top 3 players. Every other team. Warriors are a special case since their team was loaded with all-stars anyway. I'm fine with drafting Green, really I am, but the big man slander has to stop I say. It's time to stop. You NEED great bigs to win championships. Yes, you need great guards too, but it's not like having a great big man is a bad thing, in fact it's a very very good thing. I'm saying they have EQUAL impact, not one position is inherently better than the other.
That's irrelevant. The argument was that big men can't dominate in today league. That's simply not true. There just hasn't been a dominant one in a while.
Because the game has evolved. Things always move in cycles though. Its possible Mobley could help lead the new wave. I just dont think it's likely.
Look, the guy was an All American, Pac-12 Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. He isn't a JAG. I suspect you realize that.
I agree with you that that should be Mobley's floor unless he has more trouble finishing than he should. Capela and Gobert can't create their own offense, they are spoonfed most of their shots. However, they deserve a lot of credit for putting themselves into positions to score and being able to finish what they're given. It's not easy. I remember many people here thinking Capela would be replaced by Marquese Chriss. "He's athletic and can shoot threes, bye bye Capela!" He did not replace Capela.
He also has had an easy road to the NBA going the traditional route. Not to mention having his brother and daddy on the team. I dont think he has any dominance (killer instinct) in his blood judging from interviews. Green had the balls to go straight to the G League. My prediction is Mobley is a bust the first several years and turns into a solid role player in his prime.
Fair point. When I wrote that I was more so thinking in likes of winning a championship and facilitating long term success. I haven’t seen it with a big man solely unless he has another all star guard or second banana.
Not exalting him at all, I was team Cade remember? But the innuendo and outright slander towards this young man has me in a pique.
Mobley anchored the BEST most successful USC team in last 50 years, that is definition of winner. If anyone is a stat padder, it's certainly not Mobley. He sat games when team had huge leads. If anything he is a true TEAM first player.
His demeaner is also something I've noticed is in the right place, calm and collected. Reminds me a little bit of Durant in OKC before he went to GS.... Mobley, alongside Tate and Wood on defense would be incredible.
