LeBron James is leading the Los Angeles Lakers without Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves, blazing past a middling Houston Rockets squad with a 3-1 series lead. On the other end, the Cleveland Cavaliers got embarrassed in Toronto, tied 2-2 with the Toronto Raptors.
Cleveland has clearly left the youth movement behind, instead pushing all their chips in for another glorious run at the NBA Finals. The Cavs sent 26-year-old Darius Garland to the LA Clippers for 36-year-old James Harden, seeking a proven All-NBA guard with better injury history and a playoff resume.
The result thus far has been the same painful, anxious agony Cavs fans have grown to hate. Cleveland burst into the postseason with two outstanding wins over Toronto, but that intensity and execution dissipated in the following games three and four. The moment the Cavaliers were tested and pushed, everybody seemed to fold.
In both of the last two games, Harden has had more turnovers than field goals made. Mitchell has become a shadow of himself, hardly able to race past defenders and put together highlight reels by himself. The Cavaliers are still in good position to win the series, but their standing as a contender to represent the Eastern Conference in the Finals is waning quickly.
During the two losses in Toronto, one major flaw returned to doom the Cavaliers' efforts. While the Cavs were able to show defensive prowess and hold Toronto to horrible shooting splits, Cleveland's offense once again stalled and could hardly break through halfcourt defense.
When one of the Cavs' star guards rested on the bench, the other struggled to find any consistent production. Evan Mobley's defense was subpar, and his offensive intensity vanished in front of his coaching staff's eyes. Suddenly, Cleveland was stuck with almost no offensive creation outside of the two star guards.
Seasons emerged after the Harden trade that the Cavaliers would eye a second and final reunion with LeBron James, shifting focus from a young and upcoming title contender to a win-now, lose-later franchise of veteran stars intent on winning it all.
LeBron is proving he's too good to pass up
If James is ready to part with the Lakers, whether it be to pave a path for the Doncic era or to cut ties with a seemingly toxic relationship with the franchise, then the Cavaliers could be a perfect destination. Cleveland already employs two All-Star guards who can take the majority of the scoring load off his back during the regular season.
Harden and Mitchell initially looked like a dynamic pairing in their regular season performances, but their Playoff duds prove exactly how James could fit. At 41 years old, James is currently averaging 25.3 points, 8.7 assists (league-high) and 9.7 rebounds through the first four games of the Playoffs. His high-efficiency and physical dominance have been nothing short of jaw-dropping for a player at this stage of their career.
The Cavaliers need the offensive creativity and gravity that James brings to the court. That kind of production with the season on the line is the saving grace Cleveland unfortunately hasn't found. The Cavs believed Garland or Mobley would bring that energy, but the call is still not answered.
LeBron's exit from the Lakers has been a long-standing rumor throughout the season, and the Cavs and Golden State Warriors emerged as the two teams most likely to have a chance to pursue the legendary forward. With Cleveland's inflated cap sheet, free agency only allows a veteran minimum contract, but this postseason might push the Cavs' desperation to make a drastic move.
Cleveland should target LeBron, even if it costs Evan Mobley
Throughout the regular season, James proved he can fill as the third option on offense and still be a successful floater on defense. He is not going to lock down perimeter threats, but he can handle his assignments in the paint and make timely blocks. In the Playoffs, he is stepping up to be the number one option yet again, posting nearly a triple-double every night and punishing any minute defensive err by Houston.
That sort of sleeping titan in the shadows was the exact kind of third star Mobley was meant to be with Harden and Mitchell. Mobley is a defensive phenom who can score effectively in the paint, handle the ball on the perimeter and make defenses pay. As a second or first option in the first round, he is wilting like a dehydrated daisy after looking phenomenal in games one and two.
In Cleveland's 89-93 loss in game four, Mobley posted eight points, nine rebounds and three assists. He 36.4 percent from the field, committed five fouls and looked helpless against anything the Raptors threw at him. Even defensively, Mobley looked almost useless at times. He showed no motivation to help the Cavs overcome Toronto's pestering defense outside of one fierce dunk.
As a third option, Mobley can be incredible. He feeds off the energy of his teammates on offense and cleans up their defensive mistakes. Most of the time, that's perfect for the Cavaliers. When Mitchell and Harden face extra pressure, though, they also need somebody who can take that burden on. Mobley is not doing that. Mobley needs the attention forced away from him for him to feast on those blind spots in a defense. Rolling to the rim or lurking in the shadows for a quick hit on offense are his bread and butter. If the rest of the Cavaliers are not on a roll, Mobley is not going to be the change agent.
Even if the Cavaliers end Toronto's season, the questions about Mobley's stardom will still linger. He is in the best possible position to end negative narratives and set the foundation for his legacy. If he cannot show that going forward, Mobley cannot be considered untouchable in any complex, convoluted offseason deals to complete a sign-and-trade for LeBron.
The Lakers could make use of Mobley alongside Doncic and Reaves. The Cavaliers are slipping into a sum-cost fallacy with no real path out after trading Garland for Harden. If Cleveland is going to abandon youth for veteran know-how, James is the guy. It's pretty easy to say LeBron James makes your basketball team better, but it's clear that the Cleveland Cavaliers are a uniquely perfect fit to give James a perfect final season.
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