Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 options for the No. 3 pick in the NBA Draft

Cleveland Cavaliers 5 options for the No. 3 pick: 3. Evan Mobley

The most popular pairing for the Cleveland Cavaliers is with USC big man Evan Mobley. One of the most unique players in the 2021 NBA Draft, Mobley is 7’0″ tall yet has all of the skills of a wing player, which makes for a variety of options as to how to build around him.

Offensively Mobley can handle the ball, making reads and hitting teammates for open shots. He is ambidextrous, able to put the ball on the deck with either hand and create a play. His handle is high, which is largely inescapable due to his height but makes him more vulnerable than other big wings to having the ball stolen. Mobley has good shooting touch; he’s not a sniper from outside, but he should be a plus 3-point shooter in a year or two.

Defensively Mobley is a monster, with high-level defensive instincts that put him in the right place nearly every time. He has great lateral agility to stay in front of opponents, even when switched onto guards. At the rim, Mobley has great body control and positioning, which means he can contest shots without fouling.

The Cavaliers currently have a logjam at power forward, but none of those players are building blocks of the future. If Kevin Love isn’t traded he will likely be waived, and Taurean Prince is simply a contract the team took on in the Jarrett Allen trade. Larry Nance Jr. is a valuable trade asset, but could also be the perfect mentor to Mobley.

Bigs aren’t as valuable as wings in the modern NBA, but Mobley could be one of the few exceptions. Whether his comp is Anthony Davis or Chris Bosh, the upside is as a Hall of Fame champion defensive anchor and offensive wingman. That’s well worth taking with the third pick in the draft.