Analyst Says 1 Cavs Player Is The ‘Wild Card’ For Team

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been the best team in the league this season.

Of course, if someone hasn’t watched a single minute of Cavs basketball this year, they might believe it has everything to do with Donovan Mitchell.

That’s right to a degree, but he hasn’t been alone this time.

Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen have also stepped up big time, and the team’s second unit and mid-season additions have also played their part.

However, if you were to ask Lou Williams, Evan Mobley has been the team’s wild card.

Talking on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back,” the former Sixth Man of the Year claimed that this team might only go as far as Mobley can take them, as a team’s third option can be the ultimate difference-maker:

“He is the wild card. You know what you’re gonna get out of your star players, but your wild card, that third option is the guy that gets you over the hill,” said Williams.

Evan Mobley is (kind of) the most important player on the Cavs 👀

"He is the wild card. You know what you're gonna get out of your star players, but your wild card, that third option is the guy that gets you over the hill." – @TeamLou23

"If Donovan Mitchell were to go down, I… pic.twitter.com/tw8MANuGTO

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 12, 2025

For years, analysts and fans called Mobley the team’s X factor, and this season is showing why.

His improved offensive play and more aggressive mindset have helped him break out and have the best season of his young career, and it’s not much of a coincidence to see that the Cavs have also excelled when he’s played well.

Mitchell is the team’s leading scorer and best player right now, but Mobley is the most talented player on the team; he has the highest ceiling.

Mobley is their defensive anchor, and when he sets his mind to it, he can be a bully in the paint.

Conversely, the team struggles to get stops when he’s not locked in.