The Cavaliers have checked another box off of their to-do list. Evan Mobley, the 23-year-old big man (7-feet) agreed to a massive five-year, $224 million maximum rookie-scale extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night, according to ESPN’s senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal could elevate and be worth as much as $270 million if Mobley manages to hit certain bullet points, including making an All-NBA team or wins the Defensive Player of the Year award next season.
Mobley averaged 15.7 points on 58% from the field, 37% from 3-point range, and 72% at the free throw line, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 blocks in 30.6 minutes per game in 2023-24, leading the Cavaliers to the second round of the playoffs, alongside Donovan Mitchell, where they lost to the eventual champion Boston Celtics in a gentlemen’s sweep. Even in the loss, he was outstanding, putting up a season-high 33 points in Game 5, adding seven rebounds, four assists and a pair of blocks in the defeat.
Mobley will play the final season of his rookie contract under new head coach Kenny Atkinson. The Cavaliers parted ways with J.B. Bickerstaff after posting a record of 48-34 and finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference.
Atkinson, whose calling card is developing young talent and getting the best out of them, told reporters about his plan to get Mobley involved more on the offensive end of the floor at his introductory news conference after being hired earlier this month.
“I do think we can schematically get the ball in his hands more, quite honestly,” Atkinson said, “and it’s going to be multiple ways.”
Embed from Getty ImagesNow that Mobley’s contract is taken care of, the biggest question mark when it comes to his future has to do with the presence of Cleveland starting center Jarrett Allen, who Atkinson coached in Brooklyn. The Cavaliers have struggled to put together a high-octane offense when both Mobley and Allen, a pair of non-shooting bigs, share the court. Mobley’s effort in Allen’s extended absence during the playoffs due to fractured ribs, gives belief to the idea that he could rise to the occasion as the team’s full-time starting center.
If the Cavaliers remain committed to Allen, who is signed through the 2025-26 season on a tradable contract ($20 million annually), Mobley’s development of a consistent 3-point shot could help the two co-exist offensively. His 37.3% clip from downtown this past season came on a minuscule 1.2 attempts per game.
Defensively, Mobley is a terror. He can protect the basket and switch onto smaller defenders on the perimeter. His superior work on that end is where his bread is buttered and earned him a coveted spot on the All-Defensive first team and a third-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2023 behind Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs. With a first-place finish next season, his pockets will be even fatter.
