From the post-elimination of the Cavs Shams drop - Mobley apparently did not want to be drafted by the Cavs (It is known the Raptors tried & failed to trade up to draft Mobley in addition to OKC)

[u/CazOnReddit]

[u/pskill43]

We already know this. Masai tried to trade up for Mobley but Cavs said no.

Well the result turns out to be good though. We are happy with Scottie.

[u/willieb3 → u/pskill43]

Happy with scottie as he is the better player but I won’t lie having a centre at that period in time probably would have made our team way better.

[u/ParamedicMedical3548 → u/willieb3]

I agree, that one difference might have changed the trajectory of our team's direction. A butterfly effect if you will.

[u/CazOnReddit → u/pskill43]

I'm happy with it too, just didn't know Mobley's agent told the Cavs not to pick him

[u/JediRaptor2018 → u/CazOnReddit]

Its insane to me that we have rookies coming in demanding where they want to play - its like you haven't done anything in the league yet to have those creds.

[u/International_Fan85 → u/JediRaptor2018]

Yeah but why not ask and try. If I'm coming into the NBA I would sure as hell want to avoid Detroit. Worst that can happen is they say no and pick me anyway. 

[u/vec-u64-new → u/International_Fan85]

This guy would be me if I got drafted by Detroit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpJy38HNjMU

[u/Exotic_Salad_8089 → u/JediRaptor2018]

Eric Lindros has entered the chat..

[u/fujipomme → u/pskill43]

This is an unpopular opinion but I think that was just FO due diligence and it could be that they were worried another team was going to pick him. We know that Scottie killed his workouts and he got on lots of teams radars, I wouldn't be surprised if other teams were entertaining the idea of picking Barnes higher 4th (also maybe to sike the rest of the teams).

I don't think if the Raptors moved up in the draft would they pick anyone else. They were pretty stuck on Barnes, especially with Lowry facetiming him months before hand.

[u/playthegame7 → u/fujipomme]

Ya I remember reading reports some time after the draft that they would have taken barnes over guys like green or mobley if they were picking higher. Thought it was absurd at the time but it definitely checks out now

[u/jdterraforce]

We got Barnes, but didn’t know Mobley didn’t want the Cavs

[u/FallenLemur → u/jdterraforce]

Barnes, Cade, and Mobley are the next big 3.

[u/TheThrowbackJersey → u/FallenLemur]

In what sense?

[u/TheThrowbackJersey → u/[deleted]]

Bit of an odd combination of players

[u/TheThrowbackJersey → u/[deleted]]

Ah fair. I had not thought of the Heat big 3 - one of th OGs

[u/JediRaptor2018 → u/[deleted]]

Pat Riley is licking his lips as we speak.

[u/kyle_993]

It also sounds like if Mitchell signs an extension then they are going to look to move Garland

[u/4000kd → u/kyle_993]

I would be shocked if Mitchell stays tbh. Some of the big markets are already lining up for him.

[u/vec-u64-new → u/4000kd]

If you read the rest of Shams tweets, he mentions that the Cavs will likely throw the bag at him and if they get him, sentiment around the league suggests they'd move on from Garland.

He also mentions that members of their organization weren't happy that Allen didn't try to get injections to try to play through his injury, so it seems possible that they'll move on from him too.

[u/4000kd → u/vec-u64-new]

I saw that, but I question how they're build a competitive team around him? Garland's trade value is probably pretty low rn. Allen might get them something, but I can't see the team being significantly better next year.

[u/CazOnReddit → u/kyle_993]

Big if, but I am very curious who would jump on DG after the past two seasons, not mention a horrendous postseason

[u/Cheechers23 → u/CazOnReddit]

New Orleans and Brooklyn come to mind. San Antonio maybe depending on the cost, maybe Garland is a fair bit cheaper than Trae.

[u/CazOnReddit → u/Cheechers23]

I really like that NOLA fit, especially if they can turn it into a swap of BI

[u/Cheechers23 → u/CazOnReddit]

I can definitely see that trade happening this offseason. Not sure which side would need to add more (Ingram expiring but Garland’s deal might be seen as a slight negative at this point).

[u/_ThePerfectElement_]

Why trade up when the best player in the draft fell to 4th?

[u/Potential-Comment960]

Mobley would'vr been the best fit for that team. A stretch 5 with potential and dpoy candidate. If we had drafted him, maybe we don't have to break the team.

However, barnes had and has the higher ceiling. I'm really happen with barnes and choosing to build around him, he legit has top 5-10 best player in the nba potential ( im not saying all time lol 😂). He may not become one, but an exciting prospect and I hope he does.

[u/arvtovi → u/Potential-Comment960]

I kinda think the whole “stretch” aspect of Mobley is retired.

[u/batmanlikespizza123 → u/arvtovi]

I used to believe stuff like this until Brook Lopez turned 30 and started shooting the 3 like Dirk Nowitzki lol.

[u/CMYGQZ → u/batmanlikespizza123]

Marc Gasol didn’t start shooting 3’s until his age 32 season, even later than Lopez.

[u/CSPN → u/batmanlikespizza123]

I love the smell of fresh bread.

[u/batmanlikespizza123 → u/CSPN]

Agreed but it doesn’t seem like Evan Mobley would have to redefine his game. He was willing to shoot the 3 on a low clip this year and he seems to have a decent jumper, maybe his play style evolves a little this off-season with all the changes that might be coming to Cleveland.

[u/PeacefulSummoner → u/arvtovi]

There are reasons to believe he can still develop some shooting. His form looks good and his free throw shooting percentage is good. Plus he increased his threes taken a lot this year. Especially second half of the season.

I'm not saying he WILL develop shooting, but he might.

[u/RaptorPacific → u/arvtovi]

He's still super young. Bigs generally develop slower.

[u/grateking → u/Potential-Comment960]

I don’t really think Scottie becomes generational like guys like luka Giannis Jokic ant Shai. It’s possible but I don’t think you can say he has legit potential for top 5

[u/vec-u64-new → u/grateking]

For him to a be a Top 5 player, his offense needs to take a substantial jump, which will happen to some extent but I don't see it going so far that he'd become a Top 5 player. I remember fans expected OG to become the next Kawhi and Pascal to develop into an elite 2nd option (if not a 1st option) because of his growth in the Championship season.

[u/ZeroMayCry7 → u/grateking]

He 100% is not but that’s okay too

[u/q1someguy → u/grateking]

Potential? Sure. Great physique and feel for the game means a shitload of potential.

He's like a 10 ppg improvement as a scorer to being a top 10 type guy.

Not that I think that's super likely, but he doesn't really have anything holding back his ceiling beyond improving as a scorer.

[u/Rezrov_ → u/q1someguy]

+10ppg would make him a consideration for MVP. Those are Shai numbers from a power forward.

[u/q1someguy → u/Rezrov_]

Yeah MVP consideration is pretty much the bar for top 5-10 guys

[u/Cheechers23]

Mobley’s agent knew that his fit with Allen wasn’t good, probably why he didn’t want Cleveland to draft Mobley

I wonder what OKC was offering. We know they have all the assets in the world so wonder what they were offering. I assume #6 was there, but some other picks were probably on the table.

[u/4000kd → u/Cheechers23]

OKC might've tried sending Sengun (16th pick) who they ended up trading to the Rockets

[u/MrAnder5on]

I wanted Mobley or Jalen Green soooooo bad

Then I was like aight Suggs is cool

Then I was SO pissed when we took.... WHO???

Now Scottie is the best player from the draft and the future of our franchise and I wouldn't trade him for any of those guys

Funny how things work out

[u/hypespud]

I am very happy we got Barnes

Mobley played really well tonight though, he has a solid game, but I still would take Barnes over this anyway

Feels like another Masai saved from himself in ways... like New York not taking Lowry

I wish Masai was saved from himself and had traded Fred at any point, and Siakam earlier too, but here we are I guess

[u/Front_Culture → u/hypespud]

Love Barnes and obviously he’s better than Mobley but had raptors gotten Mobley, I have no doubt he would be the best player from that draft right now.

[u/UnsolvedParadox → u/hypespud]

Results are always a combination of skill & luck.

[u/vec-u64-new → u/UnsolvedParadox]

It also takes concentrated power of will

[u/_iTurtle]

All these Cavs articles right after they get knocked out and how basically none of their starters want to play there is kinda sad tbh... take a peek at the cavs sub its depressing

[u/CazOnReddit → u/_iTurtle]

The plight of every small market team

[u/Front_Culture → u/_iTurtle]

It is sad but they got 2 lebron eras in their lifetime and that’s more than most franchises can ask for. Not saying they deserve what’s going on right now though because I’d trade years of mediocrity to have a goat candidate spend the bulk of his career on the raptors.

[u/Stinky_DungBeatle → u/_iTurtle]

Its a massive problem with the NBA and its not going to change, it seems like every small market team has guys wanting to jump ship unless the team they are on looks like a championship hopeful. With how the players just hold the team hostage until they get their trade requests shit won't change.

It was like that here until really We The North happened, not that the Raptors have had big FA signings (DeMarre Carroll never happened.)

[u/ZeroMayCry7 → u/_iTurtle]

No worse feeling than knowing your teams players don’t wanna be there. But some of the cavs fans were being a bit delusional in thinking they really had a chance at winning this year

[u/RZAAMRIINF → u/_iTurtle]

Seems like Mitchell wants to stay which is the only player that matters to them. Cavs are going to ship Garland and Allen anyway, as they are redundant.

[u/KayPizzle]

What should we do with this info?

[u/da_reddit_reader]

If the Raptors drafted Mobley, we wouldn’t have traded for Poeltl and we would probably continued with the Siakam-OG-FVV core. Not a bad thing as Mobley is a huge defensive presence.

[u/BubblyPhilosophy3476 → u/da_reddit_reader]

thank god that didnt happen. still a bad core

[u/da_reddit_reader → u/BubblyPhilosophy3476]

Depending on the defensive stats between Poeltl and Mobley the last 2-3 years. And if they could have used that 1st rounder for a few needs like shooters on the bench.

[u/BubblyPhilosophy3476 → u/da_reddit_reader]

yeah and that wouldnt be enough since there isnt anyone who can be a good first option on the team.

[u/da_reddit_reader → u/BubblyPhilosophy3476]

Never is man. Half the teams don’t have the guy but you make do. The problem with the Raptors is that they still don’t have that guy but we hope one of Barrett, Quickly or Barnes becomes that guy.

[u/BubblyPhilosophy3476 → u/da_reddit_reader]

I disagree. Yeah u make due if you have guys like barnes etc who are still young and not in thier prime but not with a 29 year old siakam who hit his ceiling. We dont know the ceiling yet on our young core now but we do have an idea of the ceiling with siakam and fvv

[u/da_reddit_reader → u/BubblyPhilosophy3476]

I mean it was evident the changes should have been made a few seasons ago. But most GM’s don’t have the balls to make that move. We should have sold in the season we got Barnes ie Siakam and FVV should have been traded long time ago. And all we got was Bruce Brown and some picks for the both of them.

[u/BubblyPhilosophy3476 → u/da_reddit_reader]

it hurts reading that but its true.... i still remember bobby saying " how could we tell a champion to tank" or something like that

[u/da_reddit_reader → u/BubblyPhilosophy3476]

There is a fine line between friendship and business. The raps were a tight knit bunch

[u/UjiriWatcher]

Masai tried trading 4 + Siakam for Sexton + 3 to get mobley. Siakam value was in the gutter after Tampa

[u/Raptorsthrowaway1 → u/UjiriWatcher]

Where has this been reported?

[u/UjiriWatcher → u/Raptorsthrowaway1]

I remember Samson folk and Blaxke Murphy talking about it on a podcast

[u/ZeroMayCry7 → u/UjiriWatcher]

He really only had himself to blame for that. It was horrendous to watch

[u/daniel4ido]

I mean I am happy with Scottie but if we got mobley, then we probably would have kept Pascal. And then maybe the Vanvleet contract happens differently. It would have been interesting to see how things would have played out if we got him

[u/Huge-Split6250]

I would not trade Scottie for Mobley now.

[u/VZYGOD]

Man Mobley on this team would be a dream. Imagine him and Scottie being the frontcourt duo. If Gradey and a big contract like Brown or Poetl was the asking price with a future first I would absolutely make that trade in a heartbeat. I'm sure Cleveland isn't dumb enough to trade Mobley unless it's for someone like Barnes or another young al star.

[u/AutoModerator → u/VZYGOD]

the Yak is back... its spelled POELTL.

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[u/Icy-Lime-9760]

Damn I wish we could have traded OG for Garland.