The Cavaliers own the No. 3 overall pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft and may be strongly leaning toward USC center Evan Mobley, should he still be available, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“Cleveland really likes the idea of pairing Evan Mobley with Jarrett Allen,” Wojnaorwski said on a special draft show. “This is a player, in another year, who would be a No. 1 overall pick.”
It appears the Cavs will remain in the No. 3 spot, despite attempts to trade up to No. 1, as well as overtures from the Raptors and Magic to trade back, wrote ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
If the Cavs do stay at No. 3, Mobley appears to be the “overwhelming favorite,” to be their pick, Givony added, with Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham going first to the Pistons and G League guard Jalen Green going second to the Rockets. There is some belief, though, the Rockets have not ruled out Mobley themselves.
“Mobley’s mobility, perimeter skill and defensive versatility could very well make him both the most intriguing long-term prospect on the board as well as a strong fit to build around Cleveland’s existing roster long term,” Givony wrote.
Along with all that, the Cavs reportedly have made leading scorer Collin Sexton available in trade talks, though Wojnarowski seemed to suggest Sexton being on the move is no sure thing.
Mobley is 7-foot-0 and spent one season at USC, averaging 16.4 points and 8.7 rebounds, shooting 58 percent from the field.
The latest Hoops Wire mock draft has Mobley going No. 3 overall to the Cavs. You can check out the full mock right here.
Looking for the latest NBA Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow Hoops Wire on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NBA News and Rumors for all 30 teams!
