With the third pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Cavaliers selected Evan Mobley out of USC. He finished second in Rookie of the Year voting behind Toronto’s Scottie Barnes. Mobley showed a lot of promise in his first season and that left Cleveland fans excited. In year two, Mobley did not take the jump the team had expected him to.
The 23-year-old showed promise in his third season with the Cavs and started to show signs of improvement. This offseason, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst expects the Cavs to give Mobley a maximum contract extension. Other players in his draft class with comparable futures have already received max extensions from their teams. Windhosrt doesn’t see why the Cavs would do any different.
Evan Mobley is expected to receive a maximum contract extension from Cleveland
Evan Mobley Likely To Get Max Extension With Cavaliers https://t.co/B54x8Q3ZOE
— RealGM (@RealGM) July 11, 2024
Players drafted ahead and after Mobley in his draft class have already received maximum contract extensions from their respective teams. All signs point to Mobley being the next lottery pick in the 2021 draft to get one. It’s only a matter of time according to NBA insider Brian Windhrost. He went on ESPN radio and discussed how the Cavs have no choice but to give Mobley the maximum extension. Players with similar numbers have already signed a long-term deal.
Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes, and Franz Wagner have all signed maximum extensions this offseason. A designated player extension would make Evan Mobley eligible to earn up to $270 million. He would need to make an All-NBA team, win DPOY, or win MVP next season for that to happen. If he fails to do that, he would still get a five-year, $224 million extension. The former top-three pick wants to play to his highest potential and get the most money he can in his next deal.
Evan Mobley’s jumper looks much smoother and it appears he’s getting higher off the ground.
Year 4 📈 pic.twitter.com/57qsOQVfWZ
— Isaac Okoro Fan Club (@IsaacOkoroFan) July 4, 2024
In his third season with the Cavs, Mobley averaged (15.7) points along with a career-high (9.4) rebounds and (3.2) assists per game. What Cleveland needs is for Mobley to continue developing as an offensive player. We’ve seen the defensive instincts and presence he’s had since joining the league. While taking limited three-point attempts last season, Mobley still shot (.373) percent from beyond the arc. A massive improvement compared to his first two years. The 23-year-old is putting in the work this offseason so that he can be a well-rounded player for the Cavs in 2024-25.
