Evan Mobley was expected to miss at least a couple of weeks and maybe up to a month with a sprained elbow.
It turns out, he’s going to miss just four games.
Mobley is expected to return on Saturday, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Just in on the return of Cavaliers rookie Evan Mobley: pic.twitter.com/DMwotVSAjy
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 26, 2021
All four of those games Mobley missed were Cleveland losses; they will welcome their star rookie back.
Mobley was the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft but was considered more of a project than a guy who would be the early frontrunner in the Rookie of the Year race. Mobley proved those scouts wrong, averaging 14.6 points and eight rebounds a game, plus playing impressive defense for a rookie and altering shots in the paint. Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff even had Mobley play the disruptive top of a 1-2-2 zone a couple of times.
Mobley may ultimately be a five in the NBA, but he’s had early chemistry with big man Jarrett Allen, but he could also step in and play some center (30% of his minutes so far have been at the five). His play was a key reason the Cavaliers surprised people around the league getting off to a 9-6 start, before this recently losing streak.