Cavs Summer League: Evan Mobley is a work in progress and Matt Ryan can shoot

The Cavs had their second Summer League game against the Magic.

Let’s just stop worrying about Evan Mobley for now, ok? We knew he’d struggle offensively coming into the league, that wasn’t unexpected. So his 5-15 shooting outing against the Magic isn’t surprising. Granted, it’s not as justifiable against the Magic as opposed to the Rockets. After all, the Magic don’t have a young presence in the center of their Summer League team like the Rockets do.

Mobley finished with just 14 points, seven rebounds, and one block. Not dominant numbers for a player who’s supposed to be a “transcendent” player. With the downside, however, there is an upside. Mobley showed almost as much versatility as Magic’s guard/forward Franz Wagner. Mobley finished the game hitting 1-3 from the three-point line; an acceptable number for a center and had a whopping six assists.

If this is as good as Mobley ever gets, maybe you can argue he should’ve gone in the Top-3 in the 2021 NBA Draft, but I doubt too many people would have a problem with a guy who can average a minimum of 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists a game. Another added bonus is the fact that he and Jarrett Allen, the team’s starting center, play very different games down low. If Mobley can continue to highlight his skillsets passing and shooting at the perimeter, perhaps the two can play side-by-side in the near future.

Matt Ryan pulled a Tom Brady during the Cavs game and couldn’t miss

The game saw the Cavs hold a lead for most of the game but the Magic attempted to come back in the fourth quarter. Enter Matt Ryan. In back-to-back possesions, the Magic came down and scored an easy two, only to meet Ryan on the other end who would respond with consecutive three-pointers, putting the game out of range.

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Ryan only played 11 minutes, but he shot 4-8 from the floor, all four shots he hit came from three-point (4-7), finishes with 12 points, and three rebounds.

Ryan, an undrafted free agent who played for Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, and Chattanooga during his NCAA career, had middling success from three in college. Only once, with Notre Dame in 2016-2017, did he surpass 40% from three. Players can always get better and if Ryan can continue his three-point marksmanship, then the Cavaliers should consider bringing him on for the regular season.

With the team lacking three-point shooters (that can be relied on), the team needs all the help they can get. Collin Sexton and Darius Garland are ok three-point shooters, but the team is really built around Kevin Love, Cedi Osman, Dean Wade, and Dylan Windler taking those shots. Love and Osman had brutal years last year, and Windler can’t stay on the court.

With Taurean Prince in Minnesota now, no Cavs player who played 20 or more games shot 40% on the season. The Cavaliers clearly need some help.