Cavs: Predicting how long before Evan Mobley is in starting lineup

The future of the Cleveland Cavaliers to some extent rests on the shoulders of Evan Mobley, the seven-foot-tall rookie out of USC the Cavs just drafted No. 3 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. After three years of up-and-down decision-making to start their rebuild, this is the move that will define this front office.

If Mobley hits, and becomes a defensive superstar and perennial All-NBA candidate, then all of the questionable decisions of Koby Altman and company will be minimized and overlooked. If he falters or even fails to develop, it should be the final straw for Altman, who has consistently drafted players who seem reasonable at the time but are clearly nowhere near the best pick in hindsight.

Evan Mobley is the future of the Cavs. How long until he is in the starting lineup?

Mobley might be the long-term foundation of this roster and its defensive anchor, but that doesn’t tell us how long until he starts. Will he be in the Cavs’ starting lineup on day one, or will head coach J.B. Bickerstaff bring him along more slowly? This isn’t the NFL where teams trot out a mediocre starter until their rookie is ready, but a similar concept could be at work.

To that end, let’s look at three factors in play that are influencing the decision to start Evan Mobley. Altman and Bickerstaff will be weighing many factors to decide when to start the young big man, but these three stand out as especially key. Unfortunately, how much fans of the Cavaliers want to see him is not in the running.