LeBron sore after Thurs. return, out vs. Warriors

Evan Mobley and the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to a five-year, $224 million maximum rookie contract extension that could be worth $269 million if he qualifies for the Rose rule during the 24-25 season. Mobley is represented by Thaddeus Foucher and Joe Smith.

Mobley was the third overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft out of USC and was an All-Rookie First Team selection in 2022 and an All-NBA Defensive First Team selection in 2023. In 50 games during the 23-24 season, Mobley averaged 15.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 blocks in 30.6 minutes.

Mobley shot 37.3 percent on limited three-point volume. Mobley’s upside in the NBA will largely come down to whether he becomes a consistent three-point shooter or how he holds up with more regular minutes at center.

Mobley joins Cade Cunningham, Scotties Barnes and Franz Wagner in signing rookie max extensions from the 2021 draft class. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun are widely expected to not sign extensions with the Houston Rockets as they wait to see how the 24-25 season plays out.

In early-November of 2021, when he was a member of the Miami Heat, Markieff Morris delivered a hard foul to Nikola Jokic in transition. Jokic responded by hitting Morris in the back. Morris then missed roughly four months of the season due to whiplash suffered from Jokic’s shove.

Morris hasn’t forgotten the incident, despite it being nearly two years old.

“Sucker shot. That’s what we call it in my hood,” Morris said of the shove from Jokic. “Took a sucker shot. They call it snuck. He snuck me. It was a sucker shot. He’s gonna get his though. Don’t trip.”

Morris is currently unsigned, but reportedly will sign a deal to return to the Dallas Mavericks ahead of the upcoming season. Morris was traded to Dallas in the deal that sent Kyrie Irving to the Mavericks ahead of last season’s trade deadline.

Dallas and the Denver Nuggets are scheduled to play their first game on November 3.