Kenny Atkinson thinks he’s finally found the right balance with Evan Mobley.
That’s been the central coaching puzzle in Cleveland: how to keep pushing Mobley without losing what makes him valuable in the first place. The Cavaliers have spent years trying to juggle Mobley’s growth with Donovan Mitchell’s prime, and that has left Atkinson working through a tricky assignment - one that demands both patience and precision.
“Threading the needle,” Kenny Atkinson said. “We’ve been on different planes of that scale with Mobley, you know, we’ve pushed it, we’ve pulled it back… I feel like he’s in a good place now; I have a much better grip on how he can be successful on both ends of the floor for us.”
Mobley, drafted in 2021, entered the league as a long-term piece, but his development has not followed the usual path. Players in his spot often get unlimited reps on rebuilding teams, where the ball is in their hands and the lessons come fast. Cleveland hasn’t had that luxury while staying competitive in the playoffs, which has made Mobley’s evolution feel more like an ongoing experiment than a straight line.
Atkinson and his staff have had to learn in real time what works and what doesn’t. Mobley has taken on a few different jobs along the way: bringing the ball up the floor, running inverted pick-and-rolls, spacing out in the corner, or settling into the dunker spot and waiting for a lob.
Some of it has clicked. Some of it has been more of a stretch.
The strengths and limits are clear enough. Mobley is a strong play-finisher.
He’s also still a shaky three-point shooter and not a reliable one-on-one creator. Atkinson said the process has helped Cleveland sort through those truths without overloading him with responsibility that doesn’t fit.
“We’ve dialed back to [Mobley] getting it in the flow [of the offense],” said Atkinson. “Lean into the creativity a little bit more, especially the inverted pick-and-rolls; he’s going to get iso moments… but that’s not the main menu right now.
For Atkinson, the point now is less about forcing Mobley into a finished version and more about widening the toolkit in the right ways. He pointed to a Kevin Garnett comparison from one of the assistants, describing the kind of offensive profile he likes for Mobley: someone who can get to a spot, rise up, and shoot over defenders.
“One of our assistants talked about how Kevin Garnett got his offense,” said Atkinson. “He could get to a spot and just run, raise up and shoot over guys. I like that prototype…, but as I said, [Mobley’s] 24 years old, I’m continuing to find a full package.”
In Other News...
James Harden Is Making The Cavs Look More Dangerous Than Ever
James Hardens arrival in Cleveland has given the Cavaliers a different kind of offensive gravity, one that goes well beyond the points he puts on the board. In his 18th season, Harden has become a key playmaker and steadying voice for a team that is still blending pieces, and head coach Kenny Atkinson has been quick to point out how much easier the game has become for the players around him as the offense continues to take shape.
What makes this group so intriguing is the way Harden and Donovan Mitchell can bend a defense from different spots and make Cleveland harder to map out possession by possession. Newer faces are already finding a smoother entry into the system because of Hardens passing and feel, and the Cavaliers seem to be leaning into that versatility as they try to turn a talented lineup into something even more unpredictable. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs No. 10 Carries A Franchise Debate Fans Still Feel
The No. 10 jersey has quietly carried a lot of Cleveland basketball history, stretching from the early 1970s to more recent seasons and serving as a neat little tour through different eras of the franchise. Some names on that list were role players, some flashed more prominently, and some became tied to memorable stretches that fans still bring up when talking about where certain Cavaliers teams fit into the larger story of the organization.
Among the most recognizable, Garland gave the number a modern relevance before his departure in a deal that sent him to the Clippers for James Harden, a move that instantly changed the conversation around the jersey again. And long before that, Snyders time in No. 10 connected directly to one of the franchises defining moments, which is part of why this number still carries a little more weight than the average backcourt digit in Cleveland. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Fringe Rotation Battle Could Be Decided In Final Tune-Up
The Cavaliers preseason is down to one last look, and for a handful of fringe players, Oct. 13 against the Orlando Magic may carry more weight than a typical tune-up. Cleveland still has some sorting to do at the back end of its rotation, with backup point guard and wing minutes among the clearest openings to monitor as the regular season approaches.
Craig Porter Jr., Mario Hezonja and Tyrese Proctor are among the names trying to make a case for themselves in front of coach Kenny Atkinson. For Porter, the challenge is turning this opportunity into a steadier role, while the wing mix is crowded enough that every possession matters, making the final preseason game a meaningful audition rather than just another exhibition. [Read more 🡒]