October 15, 2022
CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Cavaliers have exercised the third-year (2023-24) contract option on Evan Mobley and the fourth-year (2023-24) contract option on Isaac Okoro, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced on Saturday.
Mobley (7-0, 215), who was selected third overall by the Cavaliers in the 2021 NBA Draft and was a unanimous All-Rookie First Team selection, appeared in 69 games (all starts) last season with averages of 15.0 points on .508 shooting from the field, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.67 blocks in 33.8 minutes. He became just the fourth rookie in NBA history to average at least 14.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 blocks, joining Pau Gasol (2001-02), Tim Duncan (1997-98) and Chris Webber (1993-94). The runner-up for the 2021-22 NBA Rookie of the Year award, Mobley led all first-year players in rebounds (8.3), blocks (1.67) and field goal percentage (.508) and ranked second in minutes (33.8), fifth in points (15.0), seventh in steals (0.81) and eighth in assists (2.5). He also led all NBA rookies in double-doubles with 21, which is tied for the fourth-most ever by a Cavaliers rookie. At NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, Mobley helped Team Barry capture the title at Clorox Rising Stars and followed that up with another championship performance that lifted Team Cavs to the Taco Bells Skills Challenge crown. Mobley went on to finish the season as the eighth NBA rookie since 1992-93 to accumulate at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 150 assists, 100 blocks and 50 steals, along with Karl-Anthony Towns (2015-16), Elton Brand (1999-00), Tim Duncan (1997-98), Shaquille O’Neal (1993-94), Chris Webber (1993-94), Vin Baker (1993-94) and LaPhonso Ellis (1992-93). Additionally, Mobley had at least one block in 56 games, the second-most in the entire NBA behind only Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. (71 games), and his 36 multi-block performances were more than the rest of the top five NBA Draft picks in his class combined (25). Mobley totaled 115 blocks, which ranked fourth all-time by a rookie in franchise history.
Okoro (6-6, 225), the Cavaliers’ No. 5 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, appeared in 67 games (61 starts) last season and averaged 8.8 points and 3.3 rebounds in 29.6 minutes per contest. The Auburn University product scored in double figures in 26 games, including four 20-point performances. Over his final 28 outings, Okoro shot 23-50 (.460) from beyond the arc, the 10th-best three-point percentage in the NBA over that span (Feb. 9-April 10). His percentages from the field (.420 to .480), three-point range (.290 to .350) and free throw line (.726 to .768) all increased from his rookie campaign, and his plus/minus of +99 was tied for the seventh-best among all second-year players. He also played with Mobley for Team Barry at 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, helping them win the Clorox Rising Stars title. An NBA All-Rookie Second Team selection in 2020-21, Okoro was just the third player in franchise history to record at least 500 points, 50 three-pointers, 50 steals and 20 blocks in his rookie season, joining LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. Entering his third NBA season, Okoro has appeared in 134 career regular season games (128 starts) for the Cavaliers with averages of 9.2 points and 3.0 rebounds in 31.0 minutes per contest.
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