The Cleveland Cavaliers have cemented their faith in Evan Mobley as a franchise cornerstone by agreeing to a massive five-year, $224 million rookie contract extension with him, potentially worth up to $269 million. This deal, confirmed by a source to the Akron Beacon Journal following an ESPN report, underscores the Cavs’ long-term vision for Mobley, extending his contract that was initially set to run through the 2024-25 season.
Drafted third overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, Mobley has showcased solid performance in his three seasons, averaging 15.6 points on 54.4% shooting, 8.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.5 blocked shots over 198 regular-season games. His playoff stats are also impressive, with averages of 14.2 points on 53.1% shooting, 9.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.9 blocks in 12 games.
New Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson views Mobley as a future All-Star and a pivotal figure in the team’s championship aspirations. Atkinson expressed a strong commitment to developing Mobley’s potential, emphasizing his versatile skill set and athleticism.
In addition to Mobley’s extension, the Cavaliers recently signed five-time All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell to a three-year, $150.3 million extension, further strengthening their roster.
Despite being an elite defensive player, with All-Defensive Team honors and a third-place finish in NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting after his second season, Mobley’s offensive game is still evolving. He showed notable improvement in his three-point shooting, rising from 25% and 21.6% in his first two seasons to 37.3% in 2023-24.
Coach Atkinson plans to increase Mobley’s usage and involve him more creatively in the offense, whether in transition, handling in a five-out situation, or in pick-and-roll scenarios. This approach aims to fully unlock Mobley’s potential and elevate the team’s performance.
The Cavs, who were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals, have seen Mobley excel in critical moments. His dominant 33-point performance in Game 5 against Boston highlighted his capacity to be the best player on the floor.
Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman emphasized the importance of unlocking Mobley’s full potential to elevate the team and the organization to higher levels. This significant investment in Mobley reflects the Cavaliers’ confidence in his ability to grow and lead the team to future successes.
