It’s no secret that the Cavs think the world of Evan Mobley. The big man has played five years with the organization and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. They opted not to trade him for either of Jaylen Brown or Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer, opting to keep him around.
As he enters his age-24 season, there was an interesting quote from Head Coach Kenny Atkinson about how the team was considering using him like an NBA Hall-of-Famer.
Let’s dissect that and discuss its feasibility.
Using Evan Mobley Like Kevin Garnett?
Kevin Garnett was one of the most versatile power forwards to ever play in the NBA. And he’s the one Kenny Atkinson has got Evan Mobley in the same conversation with.
“One of our assistants talked about how Kevin Garnett got his offense. He could get to a spot and just run, raise up and shoot over guys. I like that prototype…, but as I said, [Mobley’s] 24 years old, I’m continuing to find a full package.”
The main thing with Mobley that differs from the shot-type from Garnett is that he doesn’t get it off as fast. He has needed to be open to shoot his jumpers, and it took until year five playoffs to see genuine comfort in his form and release.
The original quote, taken from an article written by Tony Pesta of Fear The Sword, shows the hope of what they could see from Mobley. He has proven so much on both sides of the ball, but it can be the offensive confidence that still leaves him. Garnett had such a high release on his long two’s and legendary mid-range form, that it could be tough to ever get to that comfort level.
It’s nice to be able to dream about, and perhaps with enough work, anything can happen. That’s just the level of confidence the staff in Cleveland seems to have in their big man. And Mobley himself did say in his presser on media day that he was "working on a go-to move".
A Continued Work In Progress
Bringing Peyton Watson in will greatly help the Cavs defense try to reach its ceiling. Playing next to Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen will enable them to really be aggressive on that side of the floor.
Mobley is still finding his footing in the league, though he has already proven he can be at an All-Star level. A player that can defend all five positions, it’s just the offensive consistency that’s missing. It’s extremely fixable and something that having a guy like James Harden running the show can help solve. Now that he’s fully healthy, of course.
The big man from USC doesn’t necessarily need to be like Kevin Garnett. He’s a one-of-a-kind player, truly. But, having something to compare what they’re trying to do for him makes a vision easier to see.
If he doesn’t take an offensive leap in the season ahead, it would be considered a disappointment. So, let’s see how Cleveland’s staff works with Mobley to aid him in continuing to grow his game.
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