Cavs’ rookie Evan Mobley expected back vs Magic on Saturday

Evan Mobley has been a revelation for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the early going this season. He has been one of this rookie class’s best offensive players, improving his finishing and showing off advanced playmaking skills. On the other end of the court, he hasn’t just been the best rookie defender, he has been one of the best in the entire league, full stop.

The strong play of Mobley was a major reason why this team started 9-5 on the year, with multiple wins over strong opponents. That exciting momentum was unfortunately halted two Mondays ago when Mobley sprained his elbow against the Boston Celtics. Including that game, the Cavs have lost five straight games in his absence.

Evan Mobley has missed the last four games for the Cavs. Is he coming back soon?

What was originally deemed a 2-4 week injury looks like it will come in under even the optimistic end of that timeline. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Friday morning that Evan Mobley is now expected back Saturday night against the Orlando Magic.

Mobley has been present with the team even while missing games, sitting on the bench and even hanging around the outside of huddles during timeouts and stoppages, fully invested despite being forced to sit out the game itself. He has ramped up his participation in practice, and barring any setbacks he’ll be back on the court, and presumably in the starting lineup, on Saturday night.

His impact on the team’s success should be immediate. The nature of his injury and his short absence shouldn’t mean any conditioning ramp-up or minutes restriction; if the elbow is healthy, it’s healthy, and he should be a full-go against an Orlando front line playing surprisingly well this season.

Most likely Mobley’s return will send Dean Wade back to the bench, which is not an indictment on how well Wade has played this season. If the Cavs could get away with moving him to the 2 to keep him as a starter they would. He has been a tough defender, shooting open shots and fighting on the glass. Even so, he is light years behind Mobley in terms of making an impact.

That impact will be needed even more than before with Collin Sexton now out for the season. The Cavs need someone other than Darius Garland to create offense, and Mobley will be asked to grow up fast and provide an offensive spark from the elbow. His ability to find open cutters, set up his big man teammates for open looks or call his own number has been advanced for any rookie, but especially for a big.

Defensively he can help the Cavs reclaim their spot among the league’s best. Starting Isaac Okoro means the Cavs have three high-level defenders in their starting lineup. Isaac Okoro can defend the best guard on the opposing team, Jarrett Allen can secure the paint, and Mobley is the long, roving wild card who can check wings or spearhead the zone. Lauri Markkanen and Kevin Love (and especially Denzel Valentine) are not capable of providing much value on that end, while Mobley immediately raises Cleveland’s defensive floor and ceiling. He’s a game-changer on defense already as a 20-year-old rookie.

The Cavs probably wouldn’t have needed Mobley to beat the last-place Orlando Magic, but it’s an extra level of safety to notch the easy win and stop the freefalling losing streak. More importantly, it’s a game to get his feet back under him before the schedule once again turns nasty. Each of the Cavs’ six opponents after Saturday have winning records and five of the six have MVP candidates.

The fight is real for the Cavs, and the road back to a winning record themselves — and, eventually, a spot in the playoffs — is an arduous one. Yet even while they have lost five straight they have been in every game late. They aren’t getting blown out, they aren’t intimidated by any opponent, and now they get probably their best player back.

Evan Mobley is an incredible talent, and the Cavs and their fans have missed his elite play on the court. Check out our man Mack Perry’s compilation of his top plays this season to get you excited for Saturday night, and the return of Evan Mobley, future superstar.