The Cleveland Cavaliers are currently on a three-game losing streak that has dropped them to the No. 5 seed in the East with just three games remaining as they try to hold on and avoid falling to the play-in tournament.
One analyst recently pointed to a key member of the team who has not progressed as many had hoped and is a big reason why the team isn’t quite hitting that next level it was expected to hit.
Brian Windhorst made an appearance on ESPN Cleveland today and said that big man Evan Mobley has been: “Disappointing, offensively disappointing, he hasn’t become the offensive player they need.”
How would you rate Evan Mobley’s progress in year 3?
“Disappointing, offensively disappointing, he hasn’t become the offensive player they need,” – @WindhorstESPN. pic.twitter.com/96tUvXQdsA
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) April 9, 2024
The Philadelphia 76ers have won five in a row behind the return of reigning MVP Joel Embiid, putting them just a game behind the Indiana Pacers at the No. 6 seed and two games behind Cleveland for fifth.
Mobley is in the third year of his career after the Cavs made him the third overall pick in 2021 and is currently averaging 15.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game on 58.3 percent shooting.
The numbers are marginal improvements, but the criticism of Mobley has come from his lack of aggressiveness and consistency.
He still has too many games where he is a non-factor offensively and gets lost due to the team having three other All-Stars.
This subplot isn’t getting a ton of attention because the Cavs are winning and because Jarrett Allen is the one making the offensive leap, but if Cleveland flames out in the first round of the playoffs again, fans will begin pointing toward Mobley’s lack of development as a pivotal area of focus this offseason.
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