LAS VEGAS — Following one of their two practices ahead of the second Summer League game Wednesday night, J.J. Outlaw, who is coaching the squad in Vegas, pulled No. 3 pick Evan Mobley to the side for a conversation. Outlaw wanted to know where Mobley was most at ease on offense. Block or elbow? Left side or right? On the perimeter or in the post? With a screen or isolation? How about dribble hand-offs?
Mobley didn’t hesitate.
Left elbow.
That’s where Mobley was most of Wednesday night. His favorite spot. Where he spent a lot of time during his historic freshman season at USC. It’s also where the Cavs will likely station him a bunch once the regular season starts.
“He’s extremely talented and has a lot of gifts,” Outlaw said. “He’s good with the ball anywhere. I just wanted to make him as comfortable as possible when he got his touches.”
The first play of the game was designed for Mobley. Coming across the lane, he set up on the left block (close enough to his favorite spot) against No. 8 pick Franz Wagner. Mobley sealed, took the entry pass, quickly surveyed the defense, dribbled once, shoulder-faked left, went right and buried a feathery fadeaway jumper for Cleveland’s first points.
During his best individual stretch midway through the second quarter, which helped ignite a surge and allowed the Cavs to grasp control of the game, Mobley kept working on the left side of the floor. He canned a 3-pointer and drilled a pair of off-the-bounce jumpers, temporarily finding the elusive shooting stroke.
Then in the second half, as the touch faded, Mobley transformed into a supersized playmaker — a point-forward of sorts. Get used to it.
“The most impressive thing for me is his playmaking ability,” Isaac Okoro said. “You don’t see a lot of people in the league right now — centers, of course — able to make the passes and handle the ball the way he handles it.”
During that same second quarter run, Mobley, from just above the right elbow this time, threw an on-target pass to a cutting Okoro. The second-year swingman gathered and threw down a ferocious And-1 dunk, putting Orlando 7-footer Asbjorn Midtgaard on a poster — a highlight-reel play that ended with Okoro shimmying, Mfiondu Kabengele chuckling, Cleveland’s bench going bananas and courtside announcers screaming.
“We drew that play up a few times and this time it worked perfectly,” Mobley said. “The defender bit on it, so I hit him and he finished. That dunk was crazy.”
“For him to jump with me, it was over with for him,” Okoro added. “I’m just questioning why they jumped in the first place, honestly.”
Last season, the Cavs had a dearth of reliable ball-handlers and creators. Most of that initiation burden fell on Darius Garland and Collin Sexton. Garland ranked first on the team in assists, dishing out 329. Sexton, the score-first guard who is often criticized for a lack of passing, finished with a career-best 262 (in only 60 games).
The young backcourt will once again dominate possessions in 2021-22. They are best with the ball in their hands. But spreading out those duties will be important. It’s why the Cavs traded for veteran point guard Ricky Rubio, who averages 7.6 assists in his career. It’s why the Cavs have spent the offseason focusing their Okoro development plan on that part of his game — and gave him the freedom to explore it at Summer League. It’s why they’re in search of a third guard to round out the roster.
At the start of the 2020-21 campaign, the Cavs were planning to run offense through their bigs, using Larry Nance Jr., Kevin Love, and, to a lesser extent, Andre Drummond as offensive hubs. Those plans quickly blew up. Love suffered a calf injury in the preseason opener and then re-aggravated it in the third game of the regular season. Nance set a career-high in games missed. Drummond mentally checked out following Jarrett Allen’s arrival and then was inactive until he received a buyout.
That’s where Mobley comes in.
He isn’t an ISO-maven like top pick Cade Cunningham. He isn’t a walking bucket like No. 2 pick Jalen Green. Mobley is a do-it-all big who stuffs the stat sheet and impacts winning in a host of ways, some of which can be tough to quantify. He’s not going to be an immediate 16-point-per-night scorer like he was in college. Solely judging his production is ill-advised, especially when it comes to those point tallies.
“I feel like they really love my playmaking ability,” Mobley said. “I showed that in my college career and I think they really trust me with that. I feel like in the regular season, I’ll probably play a role similar to now. Definitely feel comfortable with the ball in my hands.”
Meanwhile, his ability to score consistently is a work in progress. He doesn’t have a go-to post move. NBA range isn’t there. He isn’t strong enough to bully his way to the rim. Yet.
“I’m just gonna keep living in the weight room,” Mobley said. “Once I get my weight up, it’s gonna be crazy.”
Because he’s so tall, smaller guys can win the leverage game. During his debut Sunday, Mobley got stifled in the post by Houston’s 6-foot-6 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 displace Mobley around the rim.
Unable to overpower those 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 Wednesday.
“No need to wrestle these little jokers underneath,” a coach said.
Attacking from the elbow allows Mobley to back down (if he wants) or turn and face with a live dribble, able to see over defenders and make crisp passes.
That’s where he impacted Wednesday’s game most. Mobley finished with a game-high six assists. It could have been more. Okoro blew a layup. Other teammates clanked shots or fumbled passes. That’s Summer League for ya. But the result doesn’t change the quality looks he created for others.
“Just makes the right basketball play over and over and over again,” Outlaw said. “He’s not so much concerned with what he’s doing as he is the success of the team and success of the offense.”
Through two games, Mobley has also shown his defensive value.
He’s a “monster” at that end, according to Orlando rookie Jalen Suggs, Mobley’s pre-draft workout buddy and old USA Basketball teammate.
With his length, athleticism, agility, basketball IQ and awareness, Mobley added another block to his total while also making it challenging for Suggs to see reads or get passes around those long arms. On one defensive possession, it seemed like Mobley guarded all five Orlando players. He anchored the middle and protected guards.
“When you see him in the paint, sometimes you think twice about going in and trying to lay it up,” Suggs said. “He’s so versatile. And he’s a quiet guy, but don’t let that fool you. On the court he gets down.”
The beauty of Mobley’s game has been on display in Vegas. So have his current flaws.
It’s been a learning process for him — and the Cavs. Stylistically, this is a prospect unlike any Cleveland’s front office has scouted before. They’ve got to figure out how to maximize his potential.
He’s just scratching the surface.
“I feel like a lot of bigs nowadays are learning a lot of guard skills, learning to shoot. That’s the new age big,” Mobley said. “I feel like me doing that is going to have new people coming up, develop those same skills. I feel like it could change the game significantly.”
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