Cavs: Evan Mobley-Jarrett Allen duo could be big-time for defense

Cavs: Mobley-Allen would wreak havoc defensively

The key in a general sense, and even fairly early on, in the event Allen is eventually locked up, is how Mobley and Allen could wreak havoc defensively in that scenario. Allen, when fully healthy, is a rim protecting/shot altering presence, and with his activity, can get back to deflect lob passes/some looks to cutters, and in time with Mobley, that’d be a very difficult duo to drive against as helpers.

Mobley does need to put on weight in coming years, that’s clear, and I’m not disputing that. That’s why a good amount of next season, I would expect him to come off the bench, but one shouldn’t read too much into that. And I could turn out wrong, particularly if perhaps Nance, for example, ended up being traded at some point early on, perhaps in a trade for a shot creator as part of a deal and/or a quality backup point guard.

Circling back though, with Mobley’s fluidity/switchability to contain perimeter threats, his team defensive feel/timing to close passing lanes, leading to runouts, and his shot blocking instincts, him and Allen could be a big-time defensive duo for Cleveland. That’s with Mobley’s 7-foot-4 wingspan as a rotator/rotating rim protector in stretches at the 4, too, which I believe could be Giannis Antetokounmpo-esque.

Mobley, for further context, had 2.7 blocks per game in Pac-12 play for the USC Trojans, and had a block rate of 8.8 percent overall and 8.2 percent in Pac-12 play.

Now, again, I do get that Mobley needs to get stronger, and adding muscle is reportedly an area of emphasis for Allen this offseason. But with the instincts of those two, and with Mobley’s added rim protection and his switchability, I do believe that duo could be quite a formidable one for years to come for Cleveland on the defensive end of the floor.