The Cleveland Cavaliers have started gauging the trade market ahead of the offseason, yet league sources say the front office is telling rivals that forward Evan Mobley is not available.
Reporter Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com noted that teams routinely ask Cleveland about Mobley, center Jarrett Allen, rookie Jaylon Tyson and guard Max Strus when initiating trade discussions. President of basketball operations Koby Altman is attempting to upgrade the roster—or trim future payroll—without surrendering players the organization considers essential.
Mobley, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 draft, tops that list of protected assets. Although his name has appeared in occasional speculation involving high-profile targets such as Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cleveland continues to view the 22-year-old as a franchise pillar.
“All Evan has done is impact winning,” Altman said during his end-of-season press conference. “He’s been remarkable for us in terms of our ascent the last five years. He’s a huge part of what we do.”
Since Mobley’s arrival, the Cavaliers have compiled one of the league’s best regular-season records, and team officials believe his prime years are still ahead. Allen also appears to enjoy strong internal support; Altman described the Mobley-Allen tandem as a “defensive cheat code,” disputing the notion that the frontcourt pairing is a problem that must be fixed.
Even with that vote of confidence, Cleveland is expected to explore moves after being swept in the Eastern Conference finals and with second-apron luxury-tax restrictions looming. The central question: can the club secure meaningful upgrades without parting with the core pieces it values most? For now, Mobley remains firmly in that protected category.
Source: Hoops Wire
