The Cleveland Cavaliers enjoyed the most success they’ve had in the Donovan Mitchell era last season. They made a run to the Eastern Conference finals, but they were brutally swept by the New York Knicks. And after losing out on LeBron James in free agency, they’ve already made a second-apron move, trading Dennis Schroder. Now, they’re depending primarily on internal development to improve. And it needs to come from Evan Mobley.
Next year, if the Cavaliers want to have a chance to win a championship, they need to significantly improve on the offensive end. That needs to come from a lot of people, but mostly Mobley. He’s primarily a defensive-minded player, and if the Cavaliers want to succeed in the Mitchell era, Mobley needs to take a major leap on offense.
The Cavs need Mobley to be the type of player they can depend on in the playoffs. He needs to be able to lift up the offense, not just be a complementary piece.
Cavaliers need Evan Mobley to take offensive leap
Mobley is one of the best defenders in the NBA. He’s won a Defensive Player of the Year award, and having him as a defensive anchor is crucial to the Cavaliers’ success.
However, throughout the course of his young NBA career, he hasn’t always been the best offensive player. He contributes. He scores. He’s improved a bit as a shooter. But he’s still not necessarily a go-to guy on a night-to-night basis.
Cleveland is putting the ball in Mitchell and James Harden’s hands. Those two guys are the main offensive initiators, and Mobley is the third guy helping put points on the board.
With that as their plan, they’ve been a solid team. They made the Conference Finals for a reason. They’re a good basketball team. But to be a championship-level basketball team, they need to be more.
They need a third guy who can be a driving force of the offense. Harden isn’t consistent enough to lead a consistent postseason offense. Mitchell wasn’t good enough last year, largely because of injuries.
That’s where they need Mobley. They need him to be a capable offensive leader. A guy who can get the ball in his hands and give the Cavaliers buckets.
Give them just enough to keep the offense afloat. To be a driving force. That’s where the Cavaliers’ next internal development needs to come from. They need Mobley to take a major leap on the offensive end.
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