Report: Cavs prefer Evan Mobley to Jalen Green, believe he’s a good fit next to Jarrett Allen

By Jason Simpson
Updated: July 15, 2021

According to a recent report, the Cleveland Cavaliers prefer Evan Mobley to Jalen Green as the team evaluates potential selections with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

“If they keep the pick, they’re likely to select either Green or Mobley — depending on which one is available,” wrote Chad Ford in a recent blog post. “Sources say that the team has a slight preference for Mobley and think he’d be a great fit next to Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt, but are also very open to drafting Green, especially as the Cavs explore [Collin] Sexton trades with an eye toward moving Darius Garland to point guard.”

There were rumors earlier this year about the Cavaliers potentially moving on from Allen if Mobley was selected with the No. 3 pick, but a more recent report revealed that Cleveland believes Mobley can play at multiple positions in the frontcourt. If that’s the case, the team could justifiably keep both players.

Allen is a restricted free agent this offseason, so the Cavaliers will likely have to compete with some other teams for his services. Ultimately, however, Cleveland will have the right to match or top any offer Allen receives on the open market.

Allen and Mobley could make for an elite duo in the frontcourt.

In 51 games with the Cavaliers during the 2020-21 season, Allen averaged 13.2 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Mobley, meanwhile, averaged 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game during his lone season at the University of Southern California.

It will be a pivotal offseason for the Cavaliers organization, and it will likely all start with its selection on draft night.