Despite some people being disappointed that he hasn’t taken “that leap” this season, Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley has still been having a very solid 2022-23 campaign.
Young wing Isaac Okoro recently heaped some massive praise upon the University of Southern California product.
“I’ve never played with anybody as tall or as dependable as him,” said Okoro to Right Down Euclid. “He’s the deal.”
Given some of the preseason expectations people had for Mobley, it’s understandable why some fans might be upset with his production so far. However, context is very key in this specific situation.
It seemed like Mobley was primed to take on a lead offensive role for the Cavs this season before the franchise went out and pulled off a blockbuster trade for star guard Donovan Mitchell.
As many would assume, having Mitchell on the floor has taken away some of the offensive opportunities for Mobley. The power forward is currently averaging 15.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. All of his numbers have slightly improved from last season, but it seems like some fans are still disappointed.
However, it’s important to note some places where he’s really improved. This season, he’s shooting 55.7 percent from the field, an increase of nearly five percent from last season. He’s also already surpassed his offensive win shares total from last season while leading the league in defensive win shares with 3.0.
When Mobley came into the league, his defense was arguably his top skill. It was his offense that needed a bit of work. While there are still some things he can improve on, he’s been showing out at times on that side of the ball. He recently had a career night, going for 38 points against the Milwaukee Bucks in late January.
The No. 3 overall pick from the 2021 NBA Draft has been getting praise from tons of people across the league this season. Kyrie Irving, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo are just some of the players that have taken the time to praise Mobley.
Mobley will surely have an offensive explosion at some point in his career. For now, however, he’s likely more focused on helping the Cavs get out of the tough stretch they’re in. They’ve lost six of their last 10 games and continue to let the Miami Heat get closer to them in the Eastern Conference standings.
Cleveland still seems like it will end up making the playoffs, but it will need to get things sorted if it wants to enjoy a deep playoff run.
