The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t make the most shocking of selections in the 2021 NBA Draft, when they went with Evan Mobley #3 overall.
Nonetheless, with the Mobley selection, Cleveland looks to have gotten a multifaceted big that could fit well with Jarrett Allen looking onward, with Mobley’s passing feel/vision and ability to create his own offense.
His ball handling as a 7-footer is part of the reason many pundits believe he’ll be a star in the league in the near future, and his defense on the perimeter when needed against guards and bigger wings can make a difference in itself. I don’t discount his shot contests and even blocks of perimeter shooters, either.
That said, with Mobley being only 215 pounds currently, it is apparent that he’ll feasibly play with Allen a fair amount, and I’d think regardless of if Kevin Love is around, with him reportedly likely to have a reduced role.
Even with the recently-re-signed Allen in the long term plans for the Cavs though, I do still believe Cleveland could end up bringing back Isaiah Hartenstein. Hartenstein declined his $1.8 million player option for next season and is reportedly seeking more security; but even with Mobley in the fold, Hartenstein could get some minutes with him and others in the frontcourt in games.
Despite not having much of a role with the Houston Rockets at the NBA level in his first few seasons, and then having a small role with the Denver Nuggets in his past half-season with them, he did have more opportunities with the Cavaliers post-deadline trade.
In 16 appearances with Cleveland, Hartenstein had 8.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks in 17.9 minutes per outing. That was before a concussion all but ended his season in the year’s closing batch of games. But his efforts were encouraging for his near future outlook.
I do still believe that even with that Mobley selection by the Cavs though, that Hartenstein can still have value in their rotation next season/maybe onward.
Hartenstein can still have value for the Cavs, and would provide solid depth, even post-Mobley selection.
Putting it out there, I completely understand that Hartenstein has not played much at the NBA level to this point. In his first situations with Houston and Denver, those were contending teams, and with their outlook, he wasn’t going to have much of a role anyway.
But Hartenstein was impressive with Cleveland post-deadline, even while I acknowledge it was again, a 16-game sample size.
Hartenstein would provide the Cavs with valuable 5 man depth
Small sample with the Cavs or not, I do believe that with the touch and post-up capabilities he displayed, that Hartenstein could still have value as a depth 5 for the Cavs. That’s as a de facto third 5.
With Mobley having a ways to go in relation to filling out, as we alluded to, Hartenstein, who is a gifted passing big in his own right, could play in some spurts even with Mobley, with three perimeter shooters around them.
I do, as a side note, buy that Mobley will be an effective enough shooter from the outside in due time too, and/or be highly effective via floaters or in the mid-range area. And him and Hartenstein could have a meaningful two-man game.
In any case, with the Cavs still feasibly needing a third 5 for depth, I would be on-board with them looking to bring Hartenstein back.
Hartenstein is a very effective rebounder on both ends of the floor, as evidenced by his 11.7 rebounds per-36 minutes last season, for one. The offensive game is encouraging for him too, and while him being a 7-footer is notable for rim protection as well, he’s a sturdy 250 pounds, which helps in stretches for interior defense.
Moving along, Hartenstein wouldn’t cost much as a re-signing for depth, either.
Hartenstein wouldn’t cost the Cavs much, either
He was reportedly seeking more security heading into the offseason, and though he could eventually receive a multi-year deal from the Cavs or elsewhere, in what’s rumored to be likely a low-dollar deal, perhaps Hartenstein could be a bi-annual signing by Cleveland. That’d be for roughly $3.7 million for next season.
Or maybe as an alternative, he could be signed by say, $3 million or so of the $9.5 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception via two-year deal.
And considering I personally don’t foresee Cleveland having Mfiondu Kabengele on the Opening Night roster, with his deal non-guaranteed from here and with him a ways away from contributing, that’s added rationale for re-signing Hartenstein.
Of course, Hartenstein could potentially sign elsewhere in free agency, as an aside.
But with the market becoming more barren, perhaps the Cavs could sell him on continued development within their system and still getting PT with Mobley in stretches, and maybe buying into him as a rotational secondary playmaker. The rim protection abilities of Hartenstein (2.2 blocks per-36 minutes for his career) and rebounding are legitimate, too, as we emphasized.
Moreover, while he might not be back, Hartenstein can still have value as a depth 5 for the Cavaliers. If he’s not, maybe Cleveland could end up pursuing the likes of Bismack Biyombo or Tacko Fall.