The Cleveland Cavaliers don't need Evan Mobley to average 25 points per game to become championship contenders. They need him to become the player opposing defenses regret leaving unattended.
With Donovan Mitchell and James Harden commanding so much attention, Mobley has an opportunity to become something far more troublesome than another scorer. He could become Cleveland's third offensive decision-maker.
But that transformation won't happen simply because the Cavaliers hope for it.
Kenny Atkinson needs to start preparing Mobley for that responsibility now, even if it means sacrificing a few possessions during the regular season.
The Cavaliers need to give Evan Mobley more than scoring opportunities
Mobley's offensive development has often been discussed in terms of points, shooting range and aggressiveness. Those things matter. But there's another dimension Cleveland should prioritize: his ability to create opportunities for teammates.
Imagine Harden drawing two defenders in a pick-and-roll and finding Mobley near the free-throw line. Instead of immediately looking to score, Mobley could attack the resulting four-on-three advantage, find a cutting teammate or deliver a pass to an open shooter. That's the kind of possession that could transform Cleveland's postseason offense.
Atkinson has recently emphasized using Mobley within structured actions rather than expecting him to become a conventional isolation scorer. It's a sensible direction, particularly with two established creators already occupying the backcourt. The next step should be giving Mobley more responsibility within those actions.
Let him initiate possessions from the elbow. Run inverted pick-and-rolls that force opponents to defend unfamiliar combinations. Give him opportunities to read defensive rotations instead of simply reacting to passes from Mitchell and Harden.
The goal isn't to replace Cleveland's guards. It's to make defending them considerably more complicated.
Cleveland's schedule offers opportunities to experiment
The Cavaliers don't have to wait long to begin testing these ideas. Their home opener against Brooklyn on October 24 and their October 28 matchup with Washington provide early opportunities to expand Mobley's responsibilities against opponents Cleveland could reasonably expect to beat.
Neither game should be treated as an automatic victory. But these are the types of matchups where Atkinson can afford to prioritize development alongside winning. For example, Cleveland could designate several possessions each quarter in which Mobley initiates the offense rather than Mitchell or Harden.
Atkinson could also stagger Mobley's minutes with Jarrett Allen, surrounding him with shooters and allowing him to operate from the high post with a less congested paint. If the Cavaliers build a comfortable lead, why not let Mobley direct several consecutive possessions instead of immediately returning to familiar guard-heavy actions?
The November 9 game against Charlotte and November 16 matchup with Chicago offer additional opportunities, depending on how those teams perform.
These experiments shouldn't be reserved exclusively for blowouts, either. Mobley needs meaningful repetitions against organized defenses, including situations where his first read doesn't work. Mistakes in October and November are considerably easier to live with than offensive stagnation in May.
The playoffs will reveal whether Cleveland prepared Mobley properly
The Cavaliers already know what Mitchell and Harden can do with the ball.
Their challenge is ensuring opponents can't build an entire defensive game plan around stopping those two players. In a playoff series, defenses adjust. They load up on preferred driving lanes, pressure primary ball-handlers and force supporting players to make decisions.
If Mobley is comfortable catching the ball in advantageous positions but uncomfortable deciding what happens next, Cleveland's offense becomes easier to anticipate. That's why the Cavaliers should measure his progress by more than scoring averages.
How frequently does he create an open shot after catching the ball on the short roll? Can he recognize when a defender commits too early? Is he comfortable making the right pass when the defense takes away his first option?
Those skills could become especially valuable in closing lineups. As Cleveland continues searching for ways to maximize Donovan Mitchell's offensive impact, developing Mobley as another decision-maker could make the entire offense more resilient.
The Cavaliers don't need to turn every regular-season game into an experiment. But they should identify favorable opportunities to expand Mobley's responsibilities before the stakes become unforgiving. Because when the playoffs arrive, opponents will already know what Mitchell and Harden want to do. The most dangerous version of Mobley is the one who makes them worry about everything else.
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