Evan Mobley hit numerous milestones last year during his breakout season for the Cleveland Cavaliers. First-time All-Star. Second-Team All-NBA. Defensive Player of the Year. It was a massive year of growth for Mobley.
But no one expects him to stop there.
“Every year, I feel like I’ve been making bigger leaps. This year I’m taking another big leap,” said Mobley on Cavs Media Day. “I know what I’m capable of and know how good I could be. I’m gonna strive for that every day.”
Mobley enters his fifth NBA
season with high expectations. The Cavaliers are knocking on the door to a championship, and Mobley might be the only one who can fully unlock it. His development is arguably the most important factor in determining Cleveland’s ceiling. Yet, Mobley’s ceiling itself is still undefined.
Can Mobley be an MVP-caliber player? He’s already unofficially a top-15 talent, according to last year’s All-NBA teams. How much more would Mobley need to do in order to break into the league’s upper echelon? And how would that impact the Cavaliers’ title aspirations?
“The biggest goal is a championship,” said Mobley. “My individual goals are definitely All-Star again, hopefully keep the Defensive Player of the Year as well, and then from there… I’m gonna keep that a secret for now.”
Mobley’s ultimate ceiling hinges on his ability to create opportunities for himself. There shouldn’t be scenarios where he feels frozen out of the offense. Not if he’s going to be an MVP-caliber player. You don’t hear concerns of Giannis Antetokounmpo not getting enough touches, for example.
The Cavs certainly believe Mobley has more to offer. Head Coach Kenny Atkinson has emphasized the need for Mobley to get the ball more often. This means embracing Mobley as a self-creator and enabling him to attack off the dribble.
“You can just sense that he is ready to make another jump,” said Atkinson. “There’s a confidence brewing here that maybe we haven’t seen before.”
Mobley has all of the tools to be an offensive engine. He’s a dominant finisher who converted 78% of his attempts in the restricted area last season. He also expanded his range to the three-point line, nailing 37% of his 3.2 attempts per game. Combine this with his potential as a playmaker (3.2 assists per game), and Mobley can become the full package.
“Definitely gonna see me with the ball in my hands a lot more,” said Mobley. “Bringing the ball up the floor… also like, isolation scoring, 1-on-1, and stuff like that.”
Another leap from Mobley would put him firmly in the league’s highest tier. A world-class defender who has no major weaknesses on offense. That’s the type of thing that wins championships, if you can believe it.
“I don’t want to put too much out there, too much expectation on him, but he has just been insanely good,” said Sam Merrill on Media Day. “There is just no hesitation shooting the basketball… He is clearly taking a step as a player, but… also as like, almost an alpha.”
Of course, all of this has to be shown in the regular season — and then cemented in the playoffs. There is no need to get ahead of ourselves. But, you’d be lying if you say you aren’t excited.
