Since Evan Mobley arrived to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the summer of 2021, it’s been no secret that the big man has some sky high potential to become not only one of the best two-way forces in the entire league, but perhaps with the chance to emerge as one of the top players in the game with the right development.
Having not only elite size, but top-end defensive ability and versatility with a continuously growing offensive role, Mobley has increasingly leaned into being a clear difference-maker for this Cavaliers group en route to his Defensive Player of the Year campaign this past season, as well as being a catalyst in Cleveland’s 60-win efforts and one-seed finish in the Eastern Conference.
A career season for Mobley, but for the Cavaliers’ front office, they might still have some higher hopes for what Mobley can become for their future championship aspirations.
According to Cleveland.com insider Chris Fedor, the Cavaliers’ front office and Koby Altman have seen Mobley as the one that will have to be the reason they find their way to an NBA title win–– not because of Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland.
“Koby Altman was talking about, we need Evan [Mobley] to be our best player,” Fedor said. “And look, people inside this organization have been saying that for two years now that if they’re going to hang another championship banner, it’s not because of Darius Garland. It’s not because of Donovan Mitchell. It’s because Evan is the one that helps them do that.”
For a unicorn like Mobley, it makes sense for the Cavaliers front office to have such high expectations for what he could still become, potentially the number-one impact player on a championship team.
This past season, Mobley made some significant strides to make that happen. He averaged a career-high in both points and blocks while playing in the least amount of minutes a night through his fourth-year pro, which led him to his first All-NBA, All-Star, and Defensive Player of the Year nod.
Yet, in the end, it still ended with a Cavaliers second round exit to the Indiana Pacers.
Now in year five, the expectations will be sky-high for Mobley. He’ll be fresh off the best season of his short career, will have his rookie extension kicked in, and will have the pressure to rebound from Cleveland’s bleak finish to their otherwise strong 2024-25 campaign.
Does Mobley have what it takes to take yet another step in his young career? That verdict remains to be seen, but a critical looming 2025-26 season would be the perfect time to prove it.
