It is widely known that in order for the Cleveland Cavaliers to take the next step as championship contenders, Evan Mobley needs to continue to progress at an All-Star level. He took that step last season, turning in a career-year.
From being named NBA Defensive Player of the Year to All-NBA second team honors, Mobley finally started to realize his potential last season. That has continued into this season.
With Cleveland dealing with a rash of injuries to start the year, the ball was put in Mobley’s hands more. While it has been clunky, he needs those on-ball reps.
His handle looks much improved, he looks more comfortable running sets where he is handling the ball in transition, and he has been far more aggressive looking for his shot. However, one ESPN analyst questions the ceiling of Mobley on this Cavs team.
Evan Mobley may not experience full leap with the Cavaliers
Tim Legler did start off by saying that he has been impressed with Mobley’s improvement thus far, especially with his handle and shooting. He did say though he questions whether or not we will see gaudy scoring numbers from Mobley.
So far, Mobley is averaging around 20 points per game, eight rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and two steals. The 20 points and four assists would both be career-highs, as are his shot attempts per game (15.3), and three-point attempts per game (5.4).
Mobley’s efficiency is down (46-35-39 shooting splits) with him taking more jumpers, but it has jumped in the last three games. He is shooting 52 percent from the field, and 46 percent from three-point range, a sign that he is improving at picking his spots and when to score.
However, with Darius Garland coming back and the presence of Donovan Mitchell, the threat of Mobley’s shot volume decreasing is there. Garland and Mitchell combined for about 35 shots a game last year.
Mitchell’s 18.6 shot attempts per game were actually his lowest as a Cavalier, and it is well-documented that he has been more than willing to take a backseat to Mobley. Garland is also the floor general of Cleveland’s offense, and while he will get his, he is a pass-first point guard.
Legler does have a point about Mitchell and Garland’s high shot-volume. There is also the shot attempts of other players like De’Andre Hunter, Sam Merrill, and an inevitably returning Max Strus to consider.
While that may be the case, the Cavs have prioritized Mobley’s growth ever since Kenny Atkinson was hired as head coach. That isn’t going to stop now.
For Cleveland to realize their championship dreams, they know Mobley has to produce at an elite level. While the presence of Garland and Mitchell may cap him as a scorer to a degree, the entire team wants to empower Mobley. They want to win at a high level, so his growth won’t be stunted as much as people think.