Evan

Mobley

With Donovan Mitchell receiving his extension earlier this month, the Cavaliers have secured another critical piece of their foundation. Mobley’s deal includes incentives that could increase the total value to $269 million by its completion. While the 23-year-old big man boasts a high fantasy floor, the spacing issues arising from sharing the court with Jarrett Allen have limited Mobley’s ceiling. He’s worth selecting with a third-round pick in standard league drafts, but don’t be surprised if the final return is fourth-round value.

While the team is still searching for a new head coach, there have also been questions regarding constructing the Cavaliers’ roster for next season. There has reportedly been interest in Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, but according to Fischer, the team has no plans to move anyone. That “core four” includes Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley, with the latter flourishing while Allen was sidelined during the postseason with a rib injury. The fantasy ceilings of Garland, Allen, and Mobley were limited this season, and that likely remains the case in 2024-25 if Cleveland sticks with the same starting lineup.

With Jarrett Allen again sidelined, Mobley did his best to help the Cavaliers force a Game 6. He fell short in his efforts, but this was a good performance for the third-year big man. Statistically speaking, Mobley’s 2023-24 season went as planned. He had a Yahoo ADP of 41.7 and produced at that level in 8- and 9-cat formats, ranking behind only Donovan Mitchell among Cavaliers players. However, Mobley only appeared in 50 regular season games due to injury. While capable of providing greater value to fantasy managers, Mobley sharing the court with Allen may limit his ceiling.

Allen has missed five straight postseason games, and he’ll extend that streak of absences to six on Saturday. Evan Mobley should continue to start at center, and Isaac Okoro will presumably remain with the first unit until Allen returns.

Even with Jarrett Allen (ribs) sidelined, this matchup has been good for Mobley. He’s recorded a double-double in both games, with Thursday’s 21-point effort being the best of his postseason career. After recording a double-double in the series opener, Mobley dropped another in Game 2 while recording a full stat line. Playing without Allen isn’t optimal for Cleveland, but Boston not having Kristaps Porzingis also opens things up for Mobley. Game 3 is on Saturday night, with the teams tied at one game apiece.

Mobley didn’t have a great series offensively against the Magic, but he was able to tie his highest-scoring game from the first round on Tuesday. Most of that came in the second half, as he scored 15 of his 19 after the break, including 10 points in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, his efforts weren’t enough to close the gap in the scoreboard. Mobley will continue to start at center until Jarrett Allen (ribs) returns to the lineup, and while he has shown flashes this postseason, the overall result of Mobley as the only big has been underwhelming.

Cleveland is headed to the second round, with their series against Boston beginning on Tuesday. While Mobley struggled with turnovers in Sunday’s Game 7, committing six, he was excellent as a rebounder and defender. He rejected five shots, moving his total to 12 in the series’ final three games. And those were games the Cavaliers played without Jarrett Allen, who is dealing with a rib injury. Both teams could be without an essential big man for Tuesday’s Game 1 in Boston, as the Celtics will not have Kristaps Porzingis (calf). If Allen cannot play, Mobley will continue to take on more responsibilities as the Cavaliers’ defensive anchor.

Playing in a close-out game for the first time in his two seasons with the Cavaliers, Mitchell did his best to carry Cleveland across the finish line. He scored all 18 of the team’s points in the fourth quarter, finishing with a game-high 50. Mitchell has scored 50 or more in three postseason games in his career, with Friday’s effort being his first since Game 4 of a 2020 first-round series against the Nuggets (as a member of the Jazz). However, if Cleveland is to defend home court in Game 7 on Sunday, Mitchell will need more help from Evan Mobley (3/7/0/1/5 in 34 minutes), especially if Jarrett Allen (ribs) cannot play.

Allen will remain sidelined for this game, though Marcus Morris will start in his place this time. Isaac Okoro will return to playing a role off the bench, with Evan Mobley shifting to center once again.

With Jarrett Allen sidelined with a rib contusion, Evan Mobley was the primary center for this game. He has had a solid series, but Allen has been more dominant down low. However, this was a golden opportunity for Mobley to shine, and he ended up securing the win by blocking a layup attempt from Franz Wagner with just a few seconds left. He posted a full stat line and made numerous plays down the stretch that resulted in the win. It’s unclear if Allen will be back for Game 6 on Friday, but if he remains out, the Cavs should be confident with Mobley at center.