The Cavaliers may have spent most of the summer making noise about the wing, but the player who could swing their ceiling might already be in place. Evan Mobley has been easy to overlook in the conversation, yet there’s a strong case that he deserves far more attention.
Mobley put up 18.2 points and 9.0 rebounds a night last season and kept producing during Cleveland’s run to the Eastern Conference finals. The defense is already elite.
The next leap is about offense, and the clearest place to find it is outside the arc. He hit just 29.7 percent of his threes last season, so even a small bump there would open things up for Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and the rest of the Cavaliers attack.
Sacramento is facing a similar kind of question, except the focus lands on Keegan Murray. Logan Struck of Kings On SI makes the case that Murray, not Domantas Sabonis or Zach LaVine, could be the Kings’ most important player next season.
The reason is simple enough. Murray is already one of the team’s most versatile defenders, and Sacramento needs that badly after finishing near the bottom of the league on that end last season.
But the real swing factor is what he does on offense. If Murray can find the shot he had earlier in his career and become a steadier scorer, the Kings suddenly have a far more useful two-way piece next to rookie Darius Acuff Jr.
The organization has already shown plenty of faith in him. Sacramento signed Murray to a five-year, $140 million extension last fall. Now the pressure shifts to him to make it look like money well spent.
In Utah, the tone is even more direct: the losing has to stop. After four straight losing seasons, Jared Koch of Jazz On SI says a winning record should be the target this year, and the roster gives that idea some real weight.
The Jazz are 107-221 over the last four seasons, and they finished with fewer than 25 wins in each of the past two. But this group looks different now, with Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. leading the frontcourt and a growing crop of recent first-round picks and young players moving into more important roles.
There’s also a practical sign that Utah isn’t planning to keep sinking. The team gave up control of its 2027 first-round pick in the deal for Jackson, which points to an organization that no longer seems interested in another year spent at the bottom.
In Other News...
Former Cavs Big Lands Intriguing New Role With Real Madrid
The Cavaliers have spent the summer reshaping the back end of the roster, bringing back Thomas Bryant and adding Mario Hezonja from Real Madrid while several other familiar names have moved on. Larry Nance Jr. landed with the Indiana Pacers on a one-year deal, Keon Ellis is headed to the Brooklyn Nets, and Dean Wade will continue his career with the Philadelphia 76ers, leaving Clevelands recent big-man churn feeling a little more connected to the league than usual.
Olivier Sarr is now part of that same web, too. After a brief stint with the Cavaliers, he has signed a two-year deal with Real Madrid, joining former Celtics player Max Shulga in the Spanish powerhouses latest roster move. For Cleveland fans, it is another reminder of how often the Cavs supporting cast winds up on the move, and how quickly a players next opportunity can come from an unexpected place. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Suddenly Have A Real Chance To Steal Jonathan Kuminga
Jonathan Kuminga has become one of the more intriguing names in the market, and the Cavaliers have positioned themselves to stay in the conversation. While the Lakers have already put a sign-and-trade framework on the table, Cleveland has been working to create financial flexibility so it can make its own competitive pitch if the opportunity opens up. For a team looking to keep adding athleticism and upside, Kumingas availability has naturally caught attention.
The wrinkle is that this is shaping up as more than a simple talent chase. Kumingas current value, his fit in a new role, and the terms attached to any deal all matter here, and analysts have already warned against treating him like a player worth paying at any price. Clevelands interest gives this a real second lane, and the next move may hinge on which side is willing to make the stronger contract offer. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Kuminga Trade Chase Is Taking A Turn Warriors Fans Notice
The chase for Jonathan Kuminga has started to pull in more than one contender, and the Cavaliers are right in the middle of that widening picture. Cleveland has been reshaping its roster and cap outlook, a sign the front office is trying to keep enough flexibility on hand to chase a wing upgrade if the market comes together the right way.
The Lakers have already put a sign-and-trade framework on the table, reportedly around $45 million, with Jarred Vanderbilt and draft capital going to the Hawks in the proposed structure. For Cleveland, the interest matters because it keeps Kuminga in play as the kind of athletic forward the roster still needs, even if the path to getting him is still crowded and nothing has been finalized. [Read more 🡒]