For all the growth Evan Mobley has shown in Cleveland, one issue keeps hanging over his rise: the jumper still isn’t where it needs to be.
The Cavaliers have spent years waiting for Mobley to make the kind of leap that turns promise into superstardom. The talent has never been in doubt.
He has the skill set, the body, and the résumé to be one of the all-time greats. But the breakout that fans and coaches have been expecting still hasn’t fully arrived.
There have been flashes. Mobley hit new ground in his Defensive Player of the Year season, only to slip back a bit the next year. And while it may be unfair to say he’s the same player he was when he came out of college, the biggest concern remains unchanged: he is still basically a non-shooter, with only modest progress to show for it.
That’s the real roadblock.
Mobley did show small signs of improvement in years 3 and 4, shooting 37 percent from three in both seasons. His best stretch came when he made 1.2 of his 3.2 three-point attempts per game.
But then came the odd part - the next season, he took the exact same number of threes per game. That’s the kind of detail that fuels the idea that he hasn’t evolved much since arriving from USC.
Cleveland already wanted him to become a more dependable and more aggressive shooter. Now it looks less like a preference and more like a necessity.
Peyton Watson’s arrival only sharpens that point. Watson and Mobley are both streaky shooters who do most of their damage around the rim, and that overlap can create spacing problems.
The upside is clear on the defensive end, where the Cavs’ frontcourt should make life miserable for opponents. But this is still a make-or-miss league, and the three-point shot matters more than ever.
Watson’s presence will likely push Mobley to the five more often. Under Kenny Atkinson, who is running his own version of the Golden State Warriors’ pace-and-space offense, that could make Mobley’s role even more important. If he can be more efficient at the top of the key and turn into a more credible threat from deep, the Cavs’ offense could unlock a completely different level.
In Other News...
New Look Cavs Bring Real Rotation Drama Into Preseason
The Cavaliers preseason slate will arrive with a little extra spotlight attached, starting with a home meeting against the Magic on Oct. 11 that will air on ESPN and then a quick rematch in Orlando two days later on Peacock. Cleveland is also planning to open training camp in Spain from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5, a setup that gives the team an unusual early rhythm before the exhibition games begin and the regular season opener lands on Oct. 22.
That schedule would matter anyway, but it takes on more weight with Peyton Watson set to make his debut and roster decisions still looming after recent transactions. A three-game preseason does not leave much room for coaches to experiment, which is why every minute in camp and every early exhibition matchup figures to carry real meaning as Cleveland sorts out its rotation heading into the season. [Read more 🡒]
James Harden Has Changed Everything In A Cavaliers Trade Debate
James Harden has already altered the conversation around the Cavaliers in a way few midseason moves ever do. Since arriving from the Clippers in the deal that sent Darius Garland the other way, Harden has given Cleveland a different kind of offensive engine, one that has fit into a team pushing for meaningful wins and carrying that momentum into the playoffs even while managing injury questions along the way.
Garland, meanwhile, has dealt with his own injury setbacks in Los Angeles, which keeps the trade from feeling settled in either direction. Clevelands side of the deal now looks tied not just to what Harden has already provided, but to how long he can sustain it and whether the Cavs have made the kind of swing that changes their ceiling for good. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Linked To A Championship Guard With Real Bargain Appeal
Bruce Brown is again drawing the kind of attention that follows a useful playoff piece, with the unrestricted free agent reportedly on the radar of the Cavaliers, Heat and Lakers. For Cleveland, the appeal is easy to see: he brings versatility, defensive reliability and the kind of veteran presence contenders often want in the back half of the rotation, especially if the price stays within reach.
What makes the situation even more intriguing is the idea that Brown could be had on a minimum deal, which would make him a tidy fit for several teams looking to shore up their guard depth without sacrificing flexibility. Nothing is settled yet, but for a club like the Cavaliers, monitoring a player with championship experience and a reputation for fitting just about anywhere is the sort of offseason detail worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]