CLEVELAND, Ohio — The latest episode of Wine and Gold Talk podcast delivered an uncomfortable but necessary conversation about Evan Mobley’s growing pains as the Cavs attempt to transform him into an offensive focal point.
Host Ethan Sands and cleveland.com beat reporter Chris Fedor didn’t hold back as they questioned whether the organization might be forcing a role on a player whose natural disposition might be better suited to a supporting role.
The podcast revealed a stark reality that many Cavs fans might not be ready to hear: not everyone is built to be the main offensive weapon, regardless of their talent level.
“Not everybody is built for and not everybody is ready to be an offensive focal point,” Fedor said bluntly on the podcast. “And I think it’s fair to wonder if Evan is by nature, he’s more chill, he’s more laid back, he seems more okay being out of the spotlight than in it.”
This candid assessment hits at the heart of what’s been a clunky, forced offensive approach through the early part of the season. While the Cavs have been deliberately increasing Mobley’s touches and responsibilities, the results have been mixed at best, raising questions about whether this experiment is truly in the best interests of both player and team.
The most striking moment came when Fedor dropped this truth bomb: “Some guys are just better off being Robin than they are Batman. Some guys are just better off and more comfortable being Alfred than they are Batman or Robin. And I think we’re waiting and seeing in terms of Evan and what he’s going to be comfortable with and what he’s not going to be comfortable with.”
The podcast discussion revealed that the statistics support this concern.
Mobley is now touching the ball more (73.8 touches per game, up from 57.9 last season) and holding it longer (2.85 seconds per touch versus 2.36 seconds last season), but his efficiency has suffered, particularly around the rim where he previously excelled.
What makes this situation particularly tense is the pressure coming from within the organization itself.
As Sands pointed out in the podcast: “This is not a process that is just starting this year, Chris. This is a process that has been going on for the last couple of years. And Kenny Atkinson has been talking about this growth, this leap, this jump since last year ... But they are the ones, the organization keeps saying there’s more. And I feel like that pressure is something that everybody is going to have to deal with.”
The conversation draws interesting parallels to other NBA stars who have faced similar expectations. Sands compared Mobley’s situation to Anthony Davis, another supremely talented big man who seemed more comfortable as a supporting star rather than the franchise cornerstone.
What makes this podcast discussion so compelling is how it challenges our assumptions about player development. The conventional wisdom suggests that every young star should aspire to be “the guy,” but Fedor and Sands dare to ask: what if that’s not the right path for everyone?
For Cavs fans, this represents a fascinating inflection point in Mobley’s career. Will he grow into the role the organization envisions, or will the team eventually need to recalibrate their expectations to match his natural inclinations?
The Wine and Gold Talk podcast delivers the uncomfortable truths that fans need to hear, even when those truths challenge the organization’s vision for its young stars.
Here’s the podcast for this week:
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