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LAS VEGAS – After one of their two practices leading up to the Summer League’s second game on Wednesday night, JJ Outlaw, who coaches the team in Vegas, removed No.3 pick Evan Mobley for a conversation. Outlaw wanted to know where Mobley was most comfortable on offense. Block or elbow? Left or right side? On the perimeter or in the post office? With screen or insulation? What about dribbling transfers?
Mobley didn’t hesitate.
Left elbow.
This is where Mobley was most of the time on Wednesday night. His favorite place. Where he spent a lot of time during his historic freshman season at USC. This is also where the Cavs will likely place him as a group once the regular season begins.
“He’s extremely talented and has a lot of gifts,” Outlaw said. “He’s good with the ball everywhere. I just wanted him to be as comfortable as possible when he touched. “
The first game in the game was designed for Mobley. While crossing the track, he settled on the left boulder (quite close to his favorite spot) against the No. 8 pick Franz Wagner. Mobley sealed, took the entry pass, quickly inspected the defense, dribbled once, pretended to shoulder left, went right, and buried a feathered jumper for Cleveland’s first points.
During his best individual stretch midway through the second quarter, which helped trigger a push and allowed the Cavs to take control of the game, Mobley continued to work on the left side of the floor. He canned a 3-point pointer and pierced a pair of off-rebound jumpers, temporarily finding the elusive shot.
Then in the second half, as the touch faded, Mobley transformed into an oversized playmaker – a kind of forward. Get used to it.
“The most impressive thing for me is his ability as a playmaker,” said Isaac Okoro. “You don’t see a lot of people in the league right now – crosses, of course – able to pass and handle the ball the way he handles it.”
During that same second quarter, Mobley, just above the right elbow this time, threw a pass on target to a cutting Okoro. The sophomore swingman got together and threw a fierce And-1 dunk, putting Orlando’s 7-footer Asbjorn Midtgaard on a poster – a play that ended with Okoro shimmying, Mfiondu Kabengele chuckling , the Cleveland Bench becoming bananas and screaming field announcers.
“We drew this game a few times and this time it worked perfectly,” Mobley said. “The defender bit him, so I hit him and he was done. This dunk was crazy.
“For him to jump with me, it was over for him,” Okoro added. “I just wonder why they jumped in the first place, honestly.”
Last season, the Cavs lacked reliable ball handlers and creators. Most of this initiation burden fell on Darius Garland and Collin Sexton. Garland ranked first on the team in assists, distributing 329. Sexton, the goaltender who scored the opening goal and is often criticized for his lack of assists, finished with a career record of 262 (in just 60 games).
The young backcourt will once again dominate possessions in 2021-22. They are better with the ball in their hands. But distributing these tasks will be important. That’s why the Cavs traded for veteran point guard Ricky Rubio, who has averaged 7.6 assists over his career. That’s why the Cavs have spent the offseason focusing their development plan for Okoro on this part of his game – and given him the freedom to explore it in the Summer League. This is why they are looking for a third guard to complete the list.
At the start of the 2020-21 campaign, the Cavs were planning to attack their big guys, using Larry Nance Jr., Kevin Love and, to a lesser extent, Andre Drummond as attacking centers. These plans quickly exploded. Love suffered a calf injury in Game 1 of the preseason and then made it worse in Game 3 of the regular season. Nance set a career high in missed games. Drummond mentally checked after Jarrett Allen arrived, then was inactive until he received a buyout.
This is where Mobley comes in.
He’s not an ISO specialist like top pick Cade Cunningham. He’s not a walking bucket like choice # 2 Jalen Green. Mobley is a big deal that fills in the stats sheet and impacts winning in a number of ways, some of which can be difficult to quantify. He won’t be an immediate 16-point-per-night scorer like he was in college. Judging only one’s production is ill-advised, especially when it comes to these points.
“I feel like they really like my playmaking ability,” Mobley said. “I’ve shown that in my college career and I think they really trust me. I feel like in the regular season I’m probably going to play a similar role to now. I really feel comfortable with the ball in my hands.
Meanwhile, his ability to consistently score is a work in progress. He doesn’t have a post blow. The NBA lineup is not there. It is not strong enough to make its way to the rim. Still.
“I’m just going to continue living in the weight room,” Mobley said. “Once I gain weight it’s going to be crazy.”
Because it’s so big, smaller guys can win the leverage game. On his Sunday debut, Mobley was smothered by 6-foot-6 Houston forward Kenyon Martin Jr. and even 6-foot-5 rookie Josh Christopher. First-round pick Alperen Sengun, who played professionally in Turkey, was also able to move Mobley around the rim.
Unable to subdue these guys, the 7-footer who is listed just north of 200 pounds, will be at his best when receiving the ball on the move or near the perimeter, preventing opponents from simply leaning on him in the post. The Cavs made that adjustment on Wednesday.
“No need to fight those little jokers underneath,” said one coach.
Elbow attacking allows Mobley to back away (if he wishes) or turn around and face a live dribble, able to see over defenders and make clean passes.
It was there that he marked Wednesday’s game the most. Mobley finished with six assists, a game high. It could have been more. Okoro blew up a layup. Other teammates hit shots or missed passes. It’s the Summer League for you. But the result doesn’t change the quality of the looks he created for others.
“Just made the right game of basketball over and over again,” Outlaw said. “He doesn’t care so much about what he does as he cares about the success of the team and the success of the offense.”
Through two games, Mobley has also shown his defensive value.
He’s a “monster” for that purpose, according to Orlando rookie Jalen Suggs, Mobley’s pre-draft training buddy and former USA Basketball teammate.
With his length, athleticism, agility, basketball IQ and conscience, Mobley added another block to his total while making it difficult for Suggs to see reads or get passes around those long arms. . On defensive possession, it looked like Mobley was guarding Orlando’s five players. He anchored the middle guards and protected.
“When you see it in the painting, you sometimes think twice before going in and trying to put it away,” Suggs said. “He’s so versatile. And he’s a quiet guy, but make no mistake about it. On the court, he goes down.
The beauty of Mobley’s game was on display in Vegas. So have its current flaws.
It’s been a learning process for him – and the Cavs. Stylistically, this is a prospect unlike any other Cleveland front office. They have to figure out how to maximize its potential.
It only scratches the surface.
“I feel like a lot of grown-ups these days are learning a lot of guarding skills, learning to shoot. It’s the new big age, ”Mobley said. “I feel like doing this is going to have new people coming in, developing those same skills. I feel like it could change the game in a significant way.
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