[Official] Evan Mobley as a Cleveland Cavaliers thread

The Rockets should have been turned around when Legend JB took over the coaching in 2015.

 

Well, we did turn the corner ten times

 

???

You realize Cavs just destroyed Raptors by 45 without Mobley right?

Cavs success has been a total team effort from Jarett Allen, Isaac Okoro, Mobley, KLove and Rubio. It aint Mobley singlehandedly lifting the team in fact they need Okoro and Allen more than Mobley as they can always start Love in Mobley's place and never miss a beat.

 

https://theathletic.com/3034857/202...ie-on-cavs-rookie-evan-mobley-mobley-mondays/

While we wait for his return, I chatted with The Athletic’s draft expert Sam Vecenie on what he saw from Mobley on the AAU circuit and during the pre-draft process, what he’s shown through the first few months of his rookie season and whether or not Mobley should be in the conversation for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year.

Let’s dive in.

You’ve watched Mobley while he was coming up, during his year at USC and throughout the draft process. Back then, what stood out to you about Mobley’s game and what he could bring to the NBA?

Vecenie: Yeah, I think the first time I saw him was the summer before his junior year for the Compton Magic on the Adidas circuit in AAU. That frontcourt was hilarious for a summer U17 team. It was him, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft Onyeka Okongwu, and his brother Isaiah Mobley, who was also a McDonald’s All-American.

I’ve been a really big fan of Mobley since then, largely because it’s really hard to find 7-footers who move this fluidly. That has always been Mobley’s standout gift, even when he was younger and his overall skill level was still developing. His mobility, flexibility and coordination at his size isn’t quite unique, but it’s rare even among elite athletes at his size across the NBA. Then on top of it, mix in that he’s an extremely intelligent human being who processes the game at an incredible level. Essentially, he’s a really smart kid who also happened to be gifted with physical tools that precious few other people on planet Earth currently have. You can count the number of people who are this tall, this athletic, this mobile, this ambidextrous and this coordinated in terms of both footwork and hand-eye on one hand.

Right now, there is a case that group is basically Mobley, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Mobley is nowhere near as skilled as those guys yet in terms of basketball, but those are tools you’re talking about. Someone like Rudy Gobert isn’t quite as fluid with his feet. Deandre Ayton doesn’t quite have the same coordination or hand-eye. Karl-Anthony Towns and Nikola Jokić aren’t as mobile. Again, this isn’t to say that Mobley is as effective or more effective than these players currently — Ayton is stronger, Gobert is longer and can play forever because he’s in phenomenal shape, Towns and Jokić are undeniably more skilled — but I just say this to say that Mobley is kind of operating on a different plane in terms of his tools than most guys.

Then at USC, Mobley put all of those tools together into a remarkably effective package of skills. He was undeniably one of the best defensive players in college basketball last season, pushing the Trojans into a top-10 defense nationally while being able to play multiple different types of ball-screen coverages, different looks rotationally out of zones and just the overall versatility that would allow him to slide around onto a variety of different player types. Offensively, there were times where he didn’t force the issue enough early in the season. But by the end of the season, what you saw was an aggressive, dominant presence who could handle the ball, pass at a high level and score off drives or mini-post hooks while often initiating USC’s offense from the high post or out of dribble handoffs. Basically, he just showcased an exceptionally well-rounded skill set to where my only question was simply whether or not his body would hold up long-term and if he’d get strong enough to play the center position full time.

I thought he profiled as a multi-time All-NBA big long-term, and I loved the Cavs taking him.

Mobley’s now a third of the way through his rookie season. Where have you seen him grow the most in this first stretch?

Vecenie: I think where I’ve been most impressed is in his ability to play through contact. Obviously, he’s not really the kind of guy right now who can initiate contact and play through opposing players. But he’s doing a great job of allowing his length to be a hindrance while being able to maintain his position enough. He absorbs it just well enough to be impactful defensively.

It’s also kind of hard to answer this question, because it’s not really about growth or improvement for Mobley. Honestly, we’ve seen a lot of what Mobley has done so far in the NBA at prior levels. But it’s just exceedingly rare to see a guy succeed this much in the NBA at such a young age. Typically, there is a much bigger adjustment to the speed of the game and to playing against the smartest, most skilled, most athletic players in the world.

For Mobley, especially on defense, it’s basically the same story we’ve seen at lower levels. Like, I’ve been doing this job professionally for about eight years now, and I’ve never seen a rookie that is as good as Mobley is on the defensive end. His switchability in ball screens is staggering. It’s hard even for the best guards in the league to truly take advantage of him. His weakside rim protection and instincts in help are absolutely outstanding. His length and speed in recovery are incredibly impactful. His inherent basketball IQ is really impressive on that end of the floor.

So, I guess I would just say that him translating every part of his game to the NBA immediately is probably growth in and of itself.

 

When I’ve asked other coaches around the league what stands out to them about Mobley, many talk about his versatility. He’s used that versatility to his advantage through the first part of the season — being able to switch on to smaller guards, protect the paint and the rim and find his spots on the offensive end. When did you first see that versatility, and how, if so, has it continued to develop?

Vecenie: Yeah, I think that versatility is absolutely right. There just isn’t really anything he can’t do out there outside shoot consistently from distance. I truly believe that skill set is an enormous part of the Cavs’ success.

In terms of when it first popped up, he’s basically just doing what he’s shown at every step of his development to this point from a skill perspective. The only point that I would say is that he just looks extremely confident in himself every night. Occasionally throughout his prep career, Mobley would not necessarily take the game on and would be a bit more comfortable as a passenger. Last year (at USC), there was even a game against Utah where he didn’t take a field goal attempt in over 30 minutes on the court, something that is just kind of crazy given how much more talented he was than everyone else on the court. This season, we haven’t seen as many moments like that, which is a credit to how much Mobley has improved his mentality and his willingness to be “the guy” in the moments he has to be — even if he’s not necessarily the Cavs’ primary offensive option.

Mobley won Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for October/November. What do you think he’s shown the league about his game, and who he is as a player that could put him in the conversation for NBA Rookie of the Year?

Vecenie: To me, Mobley is the top reason (among a few) that the Cavs work. I’ve loved watching this team more than maybe any other in the NBA this season (along with probably the Grizzlies and Timberwolves), and I think Mobley is the critical piece that has transformed the Cavs into a playoff team this year. Without Mobley, I don’t think the roster really makes all that much sense. Hell, I was pretty outspoken that I didn’t think the roster made sense with Mobley even though I loved most of the individual players on the roster.

But you watch them, and it’s clear how important that all-encompassing versatility is to their success. The Cavaliers have been one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA since LeBron went west. Mobley is their problem-solver on that end. He makes up for mistakes with his instincts in help due to his length and agility. He’s a top-five shot blocker in the league, largely rotating over from the help side and blocking jumpers from guards who think they can attack him. His switchability allows them to play versatile, different types of pick-and-roll coverage. His size allows them to play smaller and more mobile with him at the five, and his lateral quickness and length combination allows them to play enormous with their starting lineup, where he’s often responsible for guarding threes despite being 7-foot tall. He has a genuine case for the All-Defense team as a first-year player, given that he’s the best player for the Cavs on that end and that they’re a top-three defense in the league — after three straight years of finishing 30th, 30th and 25th in defensive rating.

Then on offense, his unselfishness and ability to make passing reads makes him almost the perfect partner in the frontcourt for play-finishers like Lauri Markkanen (from 3) and Jarrett Allen (at the rim). He’s dexterous enough to play in dribble handoffs, athletic enough to be a vertical threat as a rim runner and has displayed at least some capacity to shoot 3s.

He’s productive, sure. He averages about 14 points, nine rebounds and almost three assists. But his ability to just fill every hole the Cavs have on their roster is the most important part of his game.

In your opinion, and while it’s still a little early, do you think he could be in the conversation for Rookie of the Year?

Vecenie: I don’t think he’s just in the conversation. I think he’s the best rookie in the league right now. With all due respect to Scottie Barnes and Cade Cunningham, both of whom are putting up great numbers on teams that aren’t very good, the first-trimester Rookie of the Year is Evan Mobley.

He has been the biggest part of why the Cavs have gone from a bottom-feeder since LeBron left to a team that I think doesn’t just make the play-in, but actually just straight-up makes the playoffs. Everything that I’ve seen from Cleveland so far looks sustainable. They have a top-10 offense that he plays a big part of in terms of production, and they’re an elite defense that he is the driver of. Winning games is what matters in the NBA, and I think voters often underrate the importance of winning games when it comes to the Rookie of the Year award. Mobley is legitimately helping the breakout team of the first one-third of the season push toward the top of the Eastern Conference.

Now, I absolutely think that others could catch him. Barnes has been terrific and has particularly come on recently with strong shooting as teams started playing off him after he made just 26 percent of his 3s in his first 19 games. If he keeps averaging 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists while shooting 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3, there will be a real case for Barnes.

More than Barnes though, Cunningham is the real threat if voters make their choice based off box-score production. Cunningham has averaged 22 points, six rebounds and five assists over his last eight games while shooting 47 percent from the field, 47 percent from 3 and 80 percent from the line. He just continues to look more and more comfortable out there as the Pistons have put more on his plate in terms of offense. He’s going to put up monster numbers in the second half of the season.

Regardless, I think these three have separated themselves from the rest of the pack in terms of likely Rookie of the Year voting. But while the full-season production for all three of these players is close thus far, there is a substantial difference in Barnes being a solid, above-average defender for the Raptors and Mobley having a legitimate case for the All-Defense team. In many other years, Barnes being a 15-point, eight-rebound guy with solid defense would be enough. Frankly, I think he would have had a great case both last year and in 2020. But Mobley is the choice so far.

 

not even sure how Mobley manages to do what he does with an ass that high…he’s 90% legs

that bird chest and mini-me shoulders too

How is he doing it?

 

I don't know but I wish the Rockets had drafted him. Imagine Sengun and Mobley together.

 

He is incredibly mobile is the first reason.... he moves like a literal NBA guard on the perimeter and he is quick and agile enough to get around post players. He also is an incredibly smart and disciplined player. He very seldom makes mistakes defensively and has excellent instincts.

He may never score 25 points a game (I don't know), but he also is seldom going to make any mistakes and is going to be efficient. A player that has those attributes and also is as gifted as Mobley will by default be very good. It was the concern I had with choosing Green over Mobley or Barnes.... with Mobley and Barnes you are getting elite defensive players that fit the modern game..... yes, Green is a better volume scorer and possibly a better creator, BUT he has to be elite at that to match what Barnes or Mobley do because of the defense.

 

TBH the kid is incredibly Mobley.

 

I feel bad for Rubio. This sucks for him and the Cavs.

A lot of people felt Mobley was being propped up and somewhat hidden by having near elite point guard play and being able to not have to play the center position because of Jarrett Allen. The next few games should be interesting if Garland and Allen miss anymore games to see if he can shoulder a little more responsibility.

 

Quick, call your shot and predict Mobley’s stats tonight. Is he going to thrive or struggle? No Allen or Garland because of COVID and now Rubio is out for the season along with Sexton.

 

Problem solved?

 

Rockets offer John Wall.

 

Don’t look now but he’s 5-5 10 pts in 7 minutes
On pace for 70 points

 

Was he being actually held back by his team?! Is he the Cavs Sengun?!

 

Credit to Darius Garland, Ricard Rubio, Collin Sexton, Jarrett Allen for that sick move!