CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Toronto Raptors game was supposed to be Evan Mobley’s moment to shine. With Jarrett Allen sidelined and the Cavs severely shorthanded, the stage was set for the former third overall pick to assert himself as the star the organization has projected him to be.
Instead, Mobley’s passivity has sparked serious concerns about his development trajectory.
In the latest Wine and Gold Talk Podcast, Chris Fedor and Ethan Sands didn’t mince words about Mobley’s concerning performance against the Raptors, where he attempted just seven shots in a game where the Cavs desperately needed his offensive production.
“He cannot take one more shot than Luke Travers. This can’t happen. He can’t take two more shots than Chris Livingston, who played 14 minutes. He can’t take two fewer shots than Tyrese Proctor,” Fedor emphasized, highlighting the shocking stat line from a player the Cavs have positioned as their future cornerstone.
More troubling than the numbers was Mobley’s demeanor.
While Coach Kenny Atkinson suggested Mobley simply “didn’t have the juice,” Fedor saw something more concerning.
“He looked timid out there. He looked like he didn’t believe in his offensive game. It looked like he didn’t feel like he could do the things that he needed to do on the offensive end to get to the spots where he wanted to get to. And that becomes a problem,” Fedor observed.
The podcast questioned whether Mobley’s struggles are purely skill-based or if there’s a deeper mental block affecting his aggression. Even in areas where Mobley has traditionally excelled, his impact is being reassessed.
Sands delivered perhaps the most critical evaluation: “Evan Mobley is not a good rebounder because of instincts or physicality. Evan Mobley is a decent rebounder. He gets by on rebounding because he’s tall. And to be honest, more credit has to be given to Jarrett Allen for doing the dirty work and boxing guys out so Evan can go and grab rebounds.”
The conversation turned to potential solutions, with Fedor suggesting the Cavs need to “reexamine” how they’re deploying Mobley on offense. “Where are they getting him the ball? How comfortable is he playing outside the 3-point line versus inside the 3-point line? How comfortable is he initiating in the pick and roll?” he questioned.
With the Cavs positioning Mobley as “Robin to Donovan Mitchell’s Batman, or maybe one day Batman,” these performances raise serious questions about whether he can fulfill that potential.
As Sands noted, “He has to get back to the basics, grow his confidence at the basket, at the 3-point line and especially at the free throw line.”
The podcast discussion makes it clear: while there’s still plenty of season left, the clock is ticking on finding solutions for Mobley’s offensive hesitancy. For a team with championship aspirations, unlocking Mobley’s potential is essential.
Want to hear the full breakdown of Mobley’s struggles and what the Cavs might do to address them? Listen to the complete Wine & Gold Talk podcast episode to get all the insights from Fedor and Sands on this crucial development for Cleveland’s future.
Here’s the podcast for this week: