Multiple members of the Cleveland Cavaliers organization believe that big man Evan Mobley is the most important player on the team, according to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor.
“Eventually, the Cavs knew Mobley would evolve into a full-time center — and they got a glimpse of the possibilities at various points this season, including the final eight playoff games,” Fedor wrote. “Even with the possibility of him getting pushed around by bigger, burlier centers, that positional switch allows more offensive freedom. If Mobley is, indeed, the most important player, something various members of the organization have boasted, isn’t it time to unshackle him and let him prove it?”
Mobley, who was a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year award in the 2022-23 season, was forced into a bit of a different role in the playoffs this season after Jarrett Allen went down with a rib injury in the first round against the Orlando Magic.
The Cavs usually play Mobley and Allen together to start games, but Mobley instead became the No. 1 option at the center position, and he thrived in the second round against the Boston Celtics.
In five games against Boston, Mobley averaged 21.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.0 block per game while shooting 62.7 percent from the field. Mobley scored a playoff career-high 33 points in Game 5 against Boston, giving the Cavs a chance to win the game even though Allen and Donovan Mitchell were out.
It’s certainly a positive sign for the Cavs, especially if they feel that it is time to tweak the roster this coming offseason.
Mitchell’s future with the team is a hot topic, but it’s been reported that the team is optimistic that it can retain the All-Star guard, who is eligible for a contract extension. Mitchell is under contract for the 2024-25 season and has a player option for the 2025-26 season.
Last week, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst speculated that the Cavs will look to trade Allen as they evaluate the roster over the next month.
“While there’s an extreme interest and excitement probably from certain fan bases to go to the trade machine and work out Donovan Mitchell trades, and maybe those will be needed in a month, we’ll see, I would think the Cavs are going to be spending more time this next month looking at possible Jarrett Allen trades and what that could bring,” Windhorst said.
Mobley’s defensive impact for the Cavs is certainly huge (he led the NBA in defensive win shares in the 2022-23 season), and Cleveland may want to maximize his offensive potential by pairing him with a player that can stretch the floor rather than a traditional center like Allen.
While Allen and Mobley provide elite rim protection for the Cavs, Mobley hasn’t grown his offensive game much playing as a power forward. This season, Mobley actually averaged less points per game than he did in his second NBA campaign and took the fewest field-goal attempts per game (11.0) of his career.
The Cavs have a lot to consider this offseason, but putting Mobley in the best position to succeed — since he appears to be a big part of their future — should be near the top of the list.
