Report: Various Members Of Cavaliers Have Boasted Evan Mobley Is ‘Most Important Player’ On Team

May 23, 2024

According to NBA reporter Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, various members of the Cleveland Cavaliers have boasted that Evan Mobley is “the most important” player on the team.

Mobley turns 23 in June.

“Eventually, the Cavs knew Mobley would evolve into a full-time center — and they got a glimpse of the possibilities at various points this season, including the final eight playoff games,” Fedor wrote. “Even with the possibility of him getting pushed around by bigger, burlier centers, that positional switch allows more offensive freedom. If Mobley is, indeed, the most important player, something various members of the organization have boasted, isn’t it time to unshackle him and let him prove it?”

Mobley averaged 15.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.4 blocks for the Cavaliers this season while shooting 58.0% from the field, 37.3% from beyond the arc and 71.9% from the free-throw line.

Cleveland will offer Mobley a max rookie-scale extension this offseason, multiple sources told Hoops Wire.

A California native, Mobley has career averages of 15.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.5 blocks. He’s established himself as one of the top defenders in the NBA.

According to NBA insiders Shams Charania, Joe Vardon and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, Mobley‘s representation cautioned the Cavaliers not to draft him.

Cleveland still drafted Mobley with the third overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

“Interestingly, Mobley’s representation, Wasserman, cautioned the Cavs prior to the 2021 draft not to select Mobley, league sources said,” Charania, Vardon and Lloyd wrote. “It is a common draft strategy among agents in an effort to get players to certain teams — in this instance, Oklahoma City. The Thunder made multiple offers for the Cavs’ No. 3 pick in the draft that year, league sources said. But the Cavs selected Mobley anyway, and the relationship has remained healthy and positive.”

The Cavaliers fired head coach JB Bickerstaff today. Several players questioned Bickerstaff’s strategies, game management, practice habits and accountability measures, per The Athletic.