CLEVELAND, OHIO – OCTOBER 14: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket around Bobi Klintman #34 of the Detroit Pistons during the fourth quarter of a preseason game at Rocket Arena on October 14, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Pistons 118-100. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
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The Cleveland Cavaliers finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference last season. Then they flamed out in the playoffs. Injuries were a significant part of their second-round exit. However, that doesn’t tell the whole story.
The Cavaliers got thoroughly outplayed by the Indiana Pacers, who sent them packing from the postseason in five games. It was evident that Cleveland needed to evolve.
That could come from breaking up their core quartet: Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, and Darius Garland. However, the franchise is being patient, demonstrating its belief in that group’s ability to lead them to a championship — for now.
What may dissuade the organization from changing its mind is the early returns on empowering Mobley. The four-year veteran blossomed into an All-Star, an All-NBA selection, and the Defensive Player of the Year last season. Now, he’s getting to operate with the ball in his hands more.
Evan Mobley’s playmaking growth
The result of trusting the former third overall pick to create more offense is the Cavaliers seeing their six-foot-11 front-court star rank second on the team in assists. Mobley is averaging 4.6 per contest, trailing only Lonzo Ball, who leads the club with 6.0, per NBA.com.
“We’ve been pretty clear that we’re going to push the envelope with him and get him reps handling the ball,” said Cleveland’s head coach, Kenny Atkinson, before Wednesday’s 125-105 loss to the Boston Celtics. “I also saw his turnover rate is up from last year, which just goes hand in hand, right? It’s not perfect, but he’s a good decision-maker. Have a lot of confidence in him. He’s still got to be better, especially in the paint when he takes hits, you know, holding on to the ball. But we like what we’ve seen so far with him handling.”
As Evan Mobley continues to get more reps as an offensive orchestrator, it will be fascinating to witness how much he grows within his new role. He is already demonstrating he can elevate the Cavaliers’ offense and make them more dynamic. The hope being that, and better luck on the health front, will lead to lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.