[Official] Evan Mobley as a Cleveland Cavaliers thread

Why not both

 

I don't really care about the Cavs. But it does feel good to see LeBron's Lakers struggling and the Cavs got a future franchise guy.

 

They keep it up, LerBon will take his talents back to Cleveland for a 3rd time!

 

this way they are destined for mediocrity for years....

they should of tanked one year more to pair mobley with chet banchero jabari or duren

imagine that combo!

 

I agree, but Fertits can't even tank properly.

 

Exactly.

 

Give it some time.

 

• “A great defensive player.” — Michael Cooper, a wing who played from 1978-90 for the Los Angeles Lakers

• “Evan Mobley, and it won’t be close. … I swear, the kid’s going to be a superstar in two more years. Mobley is unbelievable. Watch how he does things and his decision-making and his reach, his ability to see where the ball is. When you see it, you’re going to say, ‘Oh, my gosh!’ When he plays against other rookies, you can see the disparity.” — someone who played in the ’70s

 

Mobley is a good player but wait until people see the play of Sengun "The Wizard" .....forget Cade vs Green its the Clash of the Titans: Sengun vs Mobley

 

Mobley going to catch more than covid haha

 

Old ass groupies.

 

Eric Gordon must be proud

 

Haha

 

That explains why his dad does all the talking. At least JG stands on his own.

 

I said this before, but Mobley is fantastic. So fluid on the court, and you could tell even pre-draft that his game will translate to the next level.

 

https://theathletic.com/3025392/202...obley-rookie-of-the-year-talk-mobley-mondays/

[…]

We’re 31 games through the season, and we’ve had a snippet of time to watch as Mobley has seamlessly navigated, developed and thrived in his first year with the Cavs. I’ve already evaluated where Cleveland stands a third of the way through the season, now let’s dive in on Mobley.

Evaluating Mobley’s strong start

Mobley has played in 25 of the Cavs’ 31 games, briefly missing time due to an elbow sprain, hip soreness and the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Through those 25 games, he’s averaging 13.8 points, 1.8 blocks, 2.5 assists and 8.3 rebounds per game in 33.6 minutes of play. He’s shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3.

When Mobley is on the court, the Cavs have a defensive rating of 98.2, and an offensive rating of 105.3. When Mobley is off the court, the Cavs’ defensive rating shoots up to 106.6; but their offensive rating does as well, as it is 110.7. Offensive and defensive rating isn’t determined by just one player, but Mobley’s defensive presence on the floor makes Cleveland a better team defensively.

So, many have asked: Is Mobley the 2021-22 NBA Rookie of the Year?

My first thought: It’s still very early. Yet, he’s made a solid case to be in the conversation, especially since being named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for October and November. While the first portion of the season is when many rookies take their bumps and bruises as they adjust to the league, Mobley hasn’t shown many of those moments.

“Honestly, there haven’t been many,” Bickerstaff said. “His demeanor, his presence on the floor, all those things like he seems well-seasoned beyond his years. And he understands the game of basketball at a high level. And so, you don’t see him make those rookie mistakes or have those rookie moments. I think there’s been times where he’s been tested by different teams and schemes and those things, but what we’ve seen is he’s been able to make adjustments within games.”

The Cavs play off Mobley offensively and lean on him defensively. When he is aggressive on the offensive end, he’s found ways to fight his way into the paint for layups. He’s been in position for alley-oops and tested when catching lobs from Darius Garland or someone like Jarrett Allen, as those two play high-low basketball. Then, as teams decide to bring the double-team against Mobley, he knows how to find open teammates for passes on the offensive end, dishing out assists or hockey assists and continuing the ball movement that has played a major role in the Cavs’ offense.

In this play, for instance, Garland grabs the steal and passes the ball off to Mobley as they run down the court in transition. Mobley dribbles once, then throws the ball up to Lauri Markkanen for the lob as he sees Markkanen near the basket and open for the dunk.



Or this one from when the Cavs played the Kings: Mobley from the high post, works his way off the defender and into the paint, and Garland throws up the lob for Mobley to slam home a dunk.



Then defensively, Mobley got his hand on the ball as Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards tried to drive to the basket. Mobley swatted the ball away from Edwards, keeping it in play for the Cavs to get out in transition.



Consistency is the factor that stands out the most to me when discussing Mobley as a Rookie of the Year candidate. When I watched him at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, shortly after he was selected third overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, I could see a majority of the factors of his game that draft experts – and my own research and conversations with USC head coach Andy Enfield – believed Mobley would bring to the league. But it was summer league and a very early showing. Since his first regular-season game, Mobley has been steadfast through 25 games and those around him know what to expect each game.

He’s going to protect the paint and the rim. He’s going to block shots. He’s going to contest shots and not draw as many fouls. He can switch onto guards and defend. He’ll work his way into the paint or find his open teammates. He’s become more willing to take 3s, which helps stretch the floor and pull the defense out of the paint.

Night in and night out, Mobley’s able to make plays on both ends of the floor that affect the game.

While I know it’s cliché, I think that consistency and how Mobley’s play impacts winning, and ultimately the Cavs’ success is what has vaulted him into the Rookie of the Year conversation.

What other coaches are saying

While Jarrett Allen has already said Mobley deserves the prestigious nod, there’s still a lot of the season left. Here’s a look around the league at what other coaches from teams the Cavs faced this week have said about him:

Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra: “He has a game and defensive ability, and IQ, that’s beyond his years.”

Houston head coach Stephen Silas: “He shows incredible poise. He’s obviously quick for his size and moves well around the paint, and from the perimeter, he shot fakes and goes. He does a lot of different things, very versatile for his size. So yeah, he’s picking it up pretty quickly, and obviously, he’s well-coached, so they are doing a good job with him.”

Milwaukee head coach Mike Budenholzer: “I know just his versatility stands out. His ability to guard both on the perimeter and in the paint, and offensively really to play, on the perimeter and still be able to go to the basket, get things done. He’s just a really impressive young player. The IQ stands out, so they’ve got a good one for sure.”

Stat of the week

Mobley has recorded seven double-doubles this season, all in points and rebounds. It’s the most double-doubles of any NBA rookie this season, according to StatMuse. Both Scottie Barnes and Cade Cunningham each have five double-doubles this season.

Mobley’s last double-double came against the Kings on Dec. 11, when Mobley scored 14 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.