For the second time this season, Cleveland Cavaliers’ star forward Evan Mobley could be out for an extended time with a left calf strain.

The first time this injury occurred was in December, which didn’t have a major impact on the team’s overall outlook.

However, the timing of Mobley’s second calf injury could have an impact on how the Cavaliers operate in terms of roster construction for the rest of the season, specifically at the trade deadline.

First, the Cavaliers must be cautious with Mobley’s calf strain.

Calf injuries have become increasingly concerning throughout the NBA, and this is now the second calf injury the 24-year-old has suffered over the last six weeks alone.

Even though Mobley’s initial timetable to return was set at one to three weeks, it would be wise for the Cavaliers to take the cautious route and hold out the forward through the All-Star Break.

If Mobley truly will be out for the next month or so, the Cavaliers will be relying on two players in particular to do their best to replicate the injured forward’s impact: De’Andre Hunter and Dean Wade.

In Cleveland’s first game without Mobley, which came against the Los Angeles Lakers, Dean Wade slid into the starting lineup in Mobley’s place, and De’Andre Hunter played 21 minutes off the bench in a blowout victory.

The issue is that both Hunter and Wade have been in trade rumors over the last couple of weeks, with the trade deadline next week on February 3rd. 

The Cavaliers are in a position where they’re in the thick of the Eastern Conference and can’t afford another rough stretch of basketball.

They need the defensive impact both Hunter and Wade can provide on the floor, especially with Mobley out.

If Mobley was healthy, trading Hunter for some slaray cap and apron relief, or dealing Wade, who is an impending free agent, could have made sense for Cleveland’s front office.

Now, the Cavaliers will need to rely on both players to fill in the minutes and guard opponents that Mobley would have been assigned to, which could make justifying a trade centered on them a little more difficult if Cleveland’s objective is to win now. 

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