CLEVELAND, Ohio — For a 7-foot unicorn with supposedly improved strength and enhanced offensive skills, Evan Mobley’s performance against the Miami Heat on Monday night left Cavs observers both perplexed and frustrated.
Despite multiple opportunities to punish smaller defenders in the post, the fifth-year big man consistently chose to pass rather than attack. A pattern that’s becoming increasingly concerning for a Cleveland team that needs its talented forward to be more aggressive.
“If Evan Mobley, 7-foot, say you got stronger, say you got bigger over the offseason, if you see somebody like Davion Mitchell in the painting area, that’s supposed to be barbecue chicken,” said Wine and Gold Talk host Ethan Sands, using Shaquille O’Neal’s famous phrase to describe what should have been easy scoring opportunities.
“And you know what Evan did? He passed the ball. He passed the ball out,” Cavs beat reporter Chris Fedor added. “And I was thinking to myself as that was happening, look, man, that’s Davion Mitchell. That’s not Bam out of bio,” Fedor explained, highlighting the difference between passing out of a matchup against Miami’s elite defensive center versus a much smaller guard."
What makes Mobley’s passivity particularly frustrating is the stark contrast between his occasional flashes of dominance – particularly in the fourth quarter against Miami – and his overall hesitancy throughout games.
This inconsistency raises deeper questions about whether Mobley truly believes in his own offensive capabilities.
“I just wonder if Evan believes in his game, his offensive game and the improvements and enhancements that he’s made to it to. To be that guy, to be that guy consistently, or does he still wonder, do I have a good enough handle to beat some of these guys off the dribble?” Fedor questioned. “Do I have a good enough handle to take advantage of some of these mismatches in the post?”
The entire offseason narrative surrounding Mobley centered on his development as a more confident, aggressive offensive player. His improved frame and enhanced skills were supposed to transform him into a more assertive scoring threat. But eleven games into the season, there’s a growing disconnect between that narrative and what’s actually happening on the court.
“There’s been so much conversation throughout the course of this off season and training camp and the first part of the regular season about Evan’s this different guy. Evan’s carrying himself a different kind of way ... And I’d just like pause for a second and say, is all that true or is that just organizational speak?” Fedor wondered.
The Cavaliers have already begun adjusting their approach with Mobley, taking some responsibilities off his plate that they had initially planned for him to handle this season. This suggests the organization is recognizing that their young star might not be as ready for an expanded offensive role as they had hoped.
The contrast between Mobley’s hesitation and the supreme confidence displayed by teammates like Donovan Mitchell and Sam Merrill is striking. While Mitchell naturally assumes control in crucial moments and Merrill keeps firing even after missing his first seven shots, Mobley seems to shrink from opportunities that should be his for the taking.
For Cleveland to reach its ceiling this season, finding a way to consistently unlock the aggressive version of Mobley that occasionally emerges remains one of their most critical challenges.
Here’s the podcast for this week:
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