No matter how much we went to will it into existence, James Harden just isn’t getting better. He has career lows in multiple categories, and the memes just keep on coming. Eleven games into the season, the Cleveland Cavaliers have seen enough to admit that James Harden's pedestrian play can no longer justify his position near the top of the offensive pecking order.
Cleveland gave it a shot. The organization brought in a former MVP, rearranged its backcourt and made room for a player whose reputation demanded a certain level of offensive responsibility. Unfortunately, the version of Harden currently wearing a Cavaliers uniform isn't producing enough to warrant that accommodation.
Meanwhile, Evan Mobley has spent years chomping at the bit for a fair opportunity to establish himself as a legitimate offensive centerpiece. It's time for Kenny Atkinson to stop treating Mobley's development like a secondary concern and officially anoint him Cleveland's No. 2 option behind Donovan Mitchell. Harden has had his opportunity. Surely, Mobley deserves his.
James Harden's production no longer justifies his place in the hierarchy
Through Cleveland's first 11 games, Harden has averaged approximately 15 points and six assists while struggling to find his shooting touch. His latest performance against Charlotte produced just 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting in a 124-112 loss that dropped the Cavaliers to 5-6.
Mobley, meanwhile, is averaging 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 55.8 percent from the field. The difference becomes even more frustrating when examining their opportunities.
Mobley is attempting just 11.7 shots per game despite being one of Cleveland's most efficient offensive players. Harden continues to command considerable attention within an offense that already features a ball-dominant superstar in Mitchell.
Something has to give, and it shouldn't be another season of Mobley waiting patiently for whatever possessions happen to come his way. The Cavaliers didn't draft Mobley third overall in 2021 to spend the prime of his career watching aging guards determine whether he gets involved.
Harden's arrival was supposed to elevate Cleveland's championship aspirations. Instead, it has arguably introduced another obstacle between Mobley and the offensive responsibility he needs to reach his ceiling. The Cavaliers have spent enough time accommodating Harden's résumé. It's time to start prioritizing what their current roster actually needs.
Evan Mobley needs at least 16 shots per game
Mobley's offensive development has been painfully gradual. He averaged 15 points as a rookie, 16.2 in his second season and 15.7 in his third. His scoring eventually climbed to 18.5 in 2024-25 before settling at 18.2 last season. Those numbers represent improvement, but they hardly reflect the offensive explosion many envisioned when Cleveland selected a uniquely skilled seven-footer with the third overall pick.
Now, six seasons into his career, Mobley is still hovering around the same scoring territory despite demonstrating that he can do considerably more. The problem isn't simply whether Mobley possesses another level. It's whether Cleveland is willing to give him enough opportunities to discover it.
He needs a minimum of 16 field-goal attempts per game, not the roughly 12 he's currently receiving. That doesn't mean forcing contested jumpers or turning every possession into an isolation experiment. It means making Mobley a prominent cog in the offensive wheel rather than an occasional beneficiary of whatever Mitchell and Harden decide to create.
Run the offense through him in the high post. Give him opportunities to attack mismatches. Let him initiate actions, operate from the elbows and punish defenses that devote too much attention to Mitchell.
Against Washington, Mobley scored 24 points on just 12 shots. Against Milwaukee, he delivered 27 points on 16 attempts. Those performances demonstrate what can happen when Cleveland makes a deliberate effort to involve him. Nobody should expect 16 shots to magically transform Mobley into an unstoppable scorer overnight. However, continuing to limit his opportunities practically guarantees that his offensive development remains stuck in neutral.
Kenny Atkinson needs to empower Mobley regardless of Harden's feelings
Kendrick Perkins recently made an argument that Cleveland should take seriously. Speaking on ESPN, Perkins challenged the Cavaliers to stop holding Mobley back and suggested he possesses the talent to make an Anthony Davis-type leap. Perkins envisioned a player capable of delivering 25 points and 12 rebounds regularly, provided Cleveland's guards finally empower him to become a primary offensive weapon.
And the real question is, why not?
Mobley is already an elite defender, a former Defensive Player of the Year and an All-Star. His offensive versatility gives Cleveland a potential matchup nightmare that most teams would love to build around. The Cavaliers should be talking about a minimum of 20 points and 10 rebounds every night, with the understanding that his ceiling could extend considerably higher.
But that transformation requires something more meaningful than encouraging Mobley to be aggressive during postgame interviews. Atkinson needs to establish a clear hierarchy. Mitchell remains Cleveland's first option. Mobley becomes the unquestioned second. Harden adjusts to whatever role best serves those two players and the rest of the team.
If that means fewer shots, fewer minutes or more time orchestrating the second unit, so be it. There might be some bruised feelings. A former MVP being told that a younger teammate has surpassed him in the offensive hierarchy isn't exactly a comfortable conversation. Frankly, Cleveland shouldn't care.
Harden's current production hasn't earned him the right to dictate the organization's priorities. His reputation shouldn't carry more influence than the team's long-term interests, and Atkinson cannot allow concerns about an aging superstar's ego to determine how Cleveland develops one of its most important players.
It’s not that Harden has nothing left to contribute. His passing and experience can still benefit the Cavaliers, especially if he's willing to embrace a smaller role. But there's a difference between respecting a veteran and allowing his presence to dictate the direction of an entire franchise. Cleveland needs leadership from its head coach, not another season of trying to keep everybody comfortable.
Atkinson has an opportunity to change the direction of the season by making a decision that should have been made long ago. Give Mobley the ball. Give him the shots. Give him the responsibility and hold him accountable for what he does with it.
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