Donovan Mitchell's arrival to the Cleveland Cavaliers catapulted an aspiring young team into immediate playoff contention, but the team has been waiting for the second true star to emerge in a quest for playoff dominance.
Thus far, the postseason has been the Cavaliers' collective Achilles heel. Every playoff run has ended in embarrassing defeat, leaving the players and fanbase deflated. Most recently, Cleveland fell short in five games to the Indiana Pacers, despite entering the postseason with the Eastern Conference's best record.
On paper, the Cavs had a perfect recipe for Finals contention. Three players were named to the All-Star team, and both Mitchell and Mobley joined the All-NBA roster. Mitchell finished the season fifth in MVP voting, and Mobley won the first Defensive Player of the Year award in franchise history.
Entering the playoffs with the second-best offensive rating in the league and more than 60 wins, the Cavs' second-round exit was nothing less than a major shortcoming from where they should have been. Cleveland's third All-Star, Darius Garland, suffered a serious toe sprain that eventually led to offseason surgery. Holding him out of key postseason games, the Cavs' offense stagnated and left Cleveland looking weak against Indy.
The Cavaliers need Evan Mobley to be the second star
In his fourth season, Mobley showcased substantial growth and maturation on his DPOY and All-NBA quest. Averaging a career-high 18.5 points and leading the Cavaliers blocks per game with 1.6 per night, his progression indicated the potential to solidify his position as Mitchell's go-to running mate.
Defensively, Mobley entered the NBA as an immediate force of nature. His timing on shot-blocking, versatility as both an interior and perimeter defender and his limitless tenacity have been the foundations of his NBA greatness. His offense, though, was incomplete. He lacked the same defensive tenacity that he needed offensively, rarely asserting himself and passing up open shots.
Alongside a career-high in points per game, Mobley also shot more than 200 three-pointers for the first time in his career, converting 37 percent of them. With more opportunity in head coach Kenny Atkinson's system and newfound confidence, Mobley enjoyed a noticeable step forward in year four.
Entering the second apron of the luxury tax this season, finding that second star in a trade or free agency is nearly impossible for the Cavs. Mobley's recent growth places him as the best possible option to fill that role, becoming the most impactful overall two-way talent on the Cavs and the second-best offensive leader.
Mobley showed everything the Cavs need at media day
With preseason on the way, the Cavaliers hosted a full media day and gifted the public with a first look at the mentality of the squad entering the 2025-26 season.
Alongside the arrival of newcomers Lonzo Ball and Thomas Bryant, every Cavs player took the stand and spoke with the media. Mobley showed maturity in his answers during his media availability, offering introspective but confident perspectives on his role this season. Speaking on becoming a larger piece of the offense and refusing to be forgotten or left behind, Mobley spoke plainly and honestly.
"That's definitely going to be on me. Every single time I do that, I got to take that upon myself and not let that happen. And always just stay engaged and stay aggressive in the game and, yeah, not let that happen."Evan Mobley
Throughout his career, Mobley has suddenly lost offensive drive halfway through a game or quarter. Opening a game as a high-scoring offensive powerhouse, he has ended the night quietly with little more to show for his efforts after halftime. Despite his obvious talent, allowing it go dormant is Mobley's worst lingering flaw.
Rather than suggesting the coach's gameplan is to blame or some outside factor, Mobley's answer took immediate accountability. In the face of recent playoff failures, the Cavaliers have, at time, given placated excuses with the veil of accountability. Suggesting the mistake is purely mental or another team "wanting it more" ignored the larger issue at play of not asserting themselves on the court.
If Mobley can put action to his claims at media day, his late-September proclamation could be the first indicator of another major leap forward. Developing in his fifth season could unlock not only Evan Mobley's ceiling but also the Cavaliers' potential.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will enter the season as the favorite Eastern Conference contender, likely to lead the conference in the regular season standings once again. With a solidified star duo in Mobley and Mitchell, the Cavs will have that final element necessary to overcome the second-round blockade that has plagued the franchise over the last three years.