Age

21

Height

7'0''

Weight

215

Workload

MIN%

70

USG%

20

TS%

55

Per 70 Possession Stats

PTS

15.5

REB

8.5

AST

2.6

STL

0.8

BLK

1.8

TOV

2.0

Efficiency

RIM FG%

73

MID FG%

38

3PT FG%

25

FT%

66

Jump to full report

Report by: Matt

Evan Mobley

Big Cleveland Cavaliers

The ultimate scheme-versatile big defender with skill on both ends

Age

21

Height

7'0''

Weight

215

Per 70 Possession Stats

PTS

15.5

REB

8.5

AST

2.6

STL

0.8

BLK

1.8

Positions Defended

Offensive Role

 

Defensive Role

   

Meet Evan Mobley

The Cleveland Cavaliers have a likely future All-Defense team member in Evan Mobley, while he is also just scratching the surface on his offensive upside. After taking Mobley third in the 2021 NBA draft, the Cavs implemented a twin towers defensive approach, with Jarrett Allen taking the more traditional big role as Mobley roved causing havoc with his long limbs and incredible hand-eye coordination. The degree of difficulty on Mobley steals and blocks was among the toughest in the league, immediately. With him able to stick seamlessly with wings, and Allen providing the home base last line behind him, the Cavs defense ranked in the top 10 despite being 25th the season before.

Tyler Herro tests the Cavs bigs

The Cavs have doubled down on this strategy by trading for Donovan Mitchell to rev up the backcourt even further while counting on Mobley and Allen to pick up the slack. Mobley will have his hands full, but with rapid reactive instincts and the smooth movement skills needed to cover entire swathes of the court with his 7’4” wingspan.

Meanwhile, the addition of Mitchell on offense should free up Mobley to continue to develop his offense game. Not to overstate his offense as a weakness – Mobley was fifth in points per game of all rookies – but getting more of a chance to create on his own seems on the table, and leveraging the combined playmaking threat of Mitchell and Garland can help unlock that.

Mobley is an excellent passer, but with poor perimeter shooting efficiency so far, does not always get the chance to showcase that beyond as a connector. In sets like the below from their opening game of the 2022-23 season, Mobley is able to use the threat of his length and capable ballhandling to threaten the rim downhill, opening up an easy kick opportunity. One imagines this type of opportunity and, similarly, short roll reps will be plentiful with opponents scrambling to cover the quick backcourt pairing.

Mobley fake DHO drive and kick

While the form looks smoothed somewhat after working on it over the offseason, gains there are likely to be gradual, and unlikely to earn hard close-outs. But he provides a lot of value as a lob threat as well, utilizing that wingspan again but also, perhaps an underrated quality for a roll man, perfect footwork and agility. Here, again from their opening game, Mobley receives a lob from Donovan Mitchell after slipping the screen (more on that later). Mobley’s speed gets him past his defender, Pascal Siakam, quite easily for the lob, but faces a contest at the rim as the lob falls a bit short of ideal accuracy. Unbothered, Mobley pumps in mid-air as he catches the lob, converting it to a lay-in as Scottie flies past.

Mitchell-Mobley PNR lob

But Mobley deciding not to go straight through Barnes for the dunk is significant as well, and points to one of the few sticking points with the 21-year-old’s game. Mobley is still quite skinny, even after adding some muscle from last season. This leads to inconsistent screens as well as occasional hiccups after not being able to keep his spot. Screening in particular will be important when playing with two PNR-heavy guards, and if he’s spending ample time chasing opponents on defense, the energy expense equation becomes tougher for the young big.

The Cavs have high expectations for Mobley, as show by their willingness to go all in on the current core by trading future picks for Donovan Mitchell. There may be growing pains as they adjust to the lopsided scheme, but have as good of a connecting, scheme-versatile big as they could ask in Mobley. Even getting a play like this once or twice a game would be huge for raising the Cavs’ ceiling, as opponents will struggle to sag off of the Cleveland guards.

Mobley stutter rip drive on OG Anunoby

As is obvious by his seamless rotations and rapid reactive passing, Mobley is a brainiac. Combine that with an immense athletic toolkit to work from, and odds are he’ll figure it out. It may only take refinement on the edges to get him into some serious accolade talk.

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