Since being drafted third overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2021, Evan Mobley has appeared to be the key factor in determining the ceiling of the modern Cavs franchise.
Entering his fourth season, the USC prospect is expected to make a major leap. Thanks to savvy trades and daring moves, the Cavs have placed themselves in the top tiers of contention with a young, budding core building toward another Cleveland legacy. Still, most of the weight for another title in Ohio has been placed on Mobley. Mobley's stellar defense but his wavering offense has been a point of contention, and this offseason could surprisingly shift things in favor of another star taking over.
It was clear from the moment Donovan Mitchell joined Cleveland's basketball club that he would be the face of the franchise. With his 71-point takeover against the Chicago Bulls in his first season in the Land, Mitchell has established the Cavaliers as a fearful force in the Eastern Conference. Alongside Spida, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Mobley have steadily progressed and earned praise across the NBA.
Since Mitchell's arrival, the Cavaliers have been searching for who could emerge as the undisputed second star next to him. Initially, it was expected to be Garland, but an undersized backcourt has left much to be desired in critical moments. They have played well alongside each other, but both Mitchell and Garland have shined greater playing with one of the frontcourt members as their second option.
In the post, Mobley seemed like the obvious choice. His unprecedented defensive stardom in his rookie and sophomore campaigns has rightfully earned him immense praise. The potential for Mobley to add a versatile offense is an alluring thought, but it has yet to come to fruition. Onlookers expect a three-point shot from Mobley this season despite his slow progression. For as great as Mobley is, however, it has not been Evan who thrives at Mitchell's side.
How Atkinson could make Allen the Cavs' second star
Allen has been the second-best player in Cleveland, and he proved as much last year with an 18-game streak of consecutive double-doubles to help vault the Cavs to the second seed in the conference with both Garland and Mobley sidelined.
With the Cavaliers' new head coach Kenny Atkinson, the former relationship between Allen and Atkinson could further push Allen into the spotlight with Mitchell.
Last year, Allen averaged 16.5 points (career high) and 10.5 rebounds over 77 games played. He was a wildly efficient scorer and improved his free throw percentage to 74.2 percent. Overall, Allen has steadily evolved his offense with the Cavaliers, and with his former head coach in place, he could have a long runway to even greater success.
However, one key aspect of the Cavs' frontcourt has halted the team's growth. With Mobley and Allen on the court together, Cleveland can suffer from horrendous floor spacing and fall into a clunky, underwhelming offensive approach.
Given his young age and proven potential, Mobley has naturally been viewed as the solution. This concept has been reversed in a new episode of the No Cap Room podcast. According to James Herbert of CBS, Atkinson will likely push the Cavaliers to play a five-out lineup, mimicking the offensive flow he developed with the Brooklyn Nets during Allen's first years in the league. In this setup, Allen was primarily used as a hub, playmaking and orchestrating for his teammates, a strategy Atkinson has already suggested in interviews this summer.
Herbert did not stop there, however. During his Brooklyn tenure, Allen was attempting threes at a higher rate than in Cleveland.
"In Brooklyn, Jarrett Allen was shooting threes. Not a ton. He was taking a ton in practice. Like, every time I went to a Nets practice I would see him going around the perimeter getting threes up. When he got to Cleveland, that was kind of over... I wonder if that player development changes with Atkinson there."James Herbert
Over roughly three seasons with the Nets, Allen never averaged more than 0.6 three-point attempts per game, but he did set his career-high in total attempts in his sophomore year with 45 3PA. With the Cavs, Allen has been seen practicing his downtown shot online, but on the court, he has never showcased that same range.
Still, Herbert's comments are significant with his focus on Allen's relationship with Atkinson. Although Atkinson is entering a new situation, two of his best young players from his last head coaching job are on the roster with Allen and Caris LeVert. Atkinson's exit from Brooklyn was reportedly fueled in part by his desire to start a young Jarrett Allen over the veteran DeAndre Jordan, going against the wishes of the team's then-superstars.
Atkinson believes in Allen and has shown that since his first years as a leading coach. With the two reunited, Allen is nearly guaranteed to be a primary focus of the new-look Cavs system. Unlocking Jarrett Allen as a stretch big could shift the tides heavily into Cleveland's favor, adding another element to the Mitchell-Allen tandem. Under Atkinson, Allen could emerge as the unexpected second star to lead the Cavaliers, allowing Garland and Mobley to feed off Allen's gravity and selfless passing.
Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen have already displayed unstoppable value playing with one another, leading to Mitchell reportedly demanding the Cavs keep Allen as a provision of his maximum extension this summer. If Allen can maximize his pre-established relationship with Atkinson to evolve his game even further, the Cleveland Cavaliers may have already found their second star. Mitchell certainly would not be upset if his seemingly favorite teammate became a true star.