Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Cavaliers face heightened expectations this postseason, with their frontcourt duo forming both the team's greatest strength and most glaring weakness.
- Sources indicate that increased perimeter aggression and consistent shooting accuracy from Evan Mobley are crucial.
- A disappointing series could trigger significant roster changes, potentially altering the Mobley's trajectory and the team's long-term blueprint.
Is it fair to say that Evan Mobley's regular season was disappointing? I wouldn't go that far. However, if you were part of the group that labeled him a top 10 player and the Cleveland Cavaliers best player, I can see why you might call Mobley's season disappointing.
One thing is for certain, though: the Cavs need more consistent aggression and scoring from Mobley to reach their playoff ceiling. Mobley's scoring production slightly declined this season. The 6-foot-11 big man averaged 18.2 points on 54.6/29.7/60.6 shooting splits. To me, the biggest concern (along with his inconsistent aggression) is his 3-point shooting dropping by 7.3 percent.Â
The Cavs are arguably facing the most pressure out of every playoff team, and Mobley is perhaps the team's biggest swing factor in their success. Another premature playoff exit could cause the Cavs to further shake up their roster, and Mobley might not be safe.Â
Evan Mobley's offensive impact could make or break the Cavs' chances of a deep playoff run
You could argue that the big man duo of Mobley and Jarrett Allen is the Cavs' biggest strength. There's no better rim protection pairing in the league. Being able to take opposing teams' driving lanes will benefit the Cavs in the playoffs.Â
At the same time, you could argue that the offensive pairing of Mobley and Allen is the Cavs' biggest weakness. In the Cavs first two underwhelming playoff series, the lack of spacing from this duo was a key reason why they bowed out early. And in each of his three playoff runs, Mobley's offensive output has been erratic -- this simply can't be the case again.
Mobley is a willing shooter, but if he shoots under 30 percent from beyond the arc as he did in the regular season, then the Cavs likely will underwhelm again. When playing next to Allen, Mobley has to be on the perimeter a significant amount. However, if he is struggling to shoot, opponents can sag off him and pressure Donovan Mitchell and James Harden more.
Conversely, if Mobley can space the floor like he did last year, it will open up everything for the Cavs offense and make life far easier on the backcourt.
Moreover, in lineups without Allen, or simply on plays where Mobley starts on the perimeter and rolls to the rim, they'll need him to assert himself, particularly against mismatches.Â
Looking at their first-round matchup against the Toronto Raptors, Mobley should be able to punish Jakob Poeltl's limited rim protection. In a possible matchup with the Detroit Pistons, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart can't take Mobley out of the picture. This is especially true as the Pistons will have ample defenders to make Mitchell and Harden uncomfortable.Â
If the Cavs are fortunate enough to advance to the conference finals, they'll likely play either the Boston Celtics or the New York Knicks. Against the Celtics, Cleveland's frontcourt size should be its biggest advantage. But it won't mean anything if Mobley is aggressive and punishes mismatches.Â
On the other hand, the Knicks can match the Cavs double big look with Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson. KAT's floor spacing makes this pairing work better than the Cavs' duo. Thus, Mobley will have to knock down outside shots to match them. Additionally, both Towns and Robinson are elite rebounders, so this will be another crucial aspect of Mobley's impact.Â
Ultimately, Mobley's aggression, floor spacing, and general production could make or break the Cavs' success to some extent. If he can put it all together, the Cavs have a championship-level ceiling. If not, though, another early exit feels inevitable.Â
A bad playoffs could set the stage for Mobley to be traded
By trading for Harden at the deadline, the Cavs tipped their cap that they're going all-in on a shorter title window. As such, if they flame out early again, there could be some major changes. If Mobley's production isn't up to par, he seems like a clear trade candidate. It's always nice to have young talent, but at 24, Mobley isn't a perfect fit with their new timeline.Â
The idea of a Mobley-Giannis Antetokounmpo swap has been thrown around the NBA media space, and we know the Cavs pursued Giannis at the deadline. Mobley could very well be the best individual player Milwaukee could get for Giannis, which in turn could put the Cavs in the driver's seat of Giannis trade talks.Â
Could another elite star be on the table for Mobley? While I don't know who it would be, I wouldn't rule it out.Â
There have also been plenty of rumblings of a LeBron James reunion. However, unless the all-mighty King James takes a minimum contract, the Cavs would have to make another move to clear up some cap space, which could involve trading Mobley.
Overall, Mobley's production could not only determine the Cavs' playoff trajectory, but it might also determine his future with the team.
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