3 Bold Cavaliers Predictions For 2025

It may seem early for a player this young, but with how Evan Mobley has been improving on a year-to-year basis, he could easily be in the MVP conversation this season. At only 24 years old, he’s already become the team’s anchor (at least defensively), finishing the 2024 season as the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year. 

Mobley has also become much more aggressive on offense, using his weight to bully defenders in the paint more often. This was something he struggled with early on as he seemed not to trust his size, so it’s a welcome addition that’s helping to fully unlock his game. 

There’s also been an improvement in Mobley’s deep ball, as he finished last season with his second-highest career three-point percentage (37.0) on his highest attempts per game (3.2). With the already established elite defensive ability and his trajectory of improvement, Mobley should find himself putting up some of, if not the best, stats of any NBA player next season. 

Cavaliers Use Proctor In Big Role

Despite already having Garland, Mitchell, and Ball, Tyrese Proctor should still play a large role in Cleveland’s game plan. Garland and Ball are both injury-prone, and the team (ironically) plays its best when Mitchell’s usage is more tightly-managed. 

With the Memphis Grizzlies luring Ty Jerome away, this leaves just Proctor and Craig Poerter Jr. to fill in at the guard spot. While Porter Jr. has shown that he can absolutely live up to this task, Proctor’s size, athleticism, and ability to play off the ball should earn him minutes early. 

That’s not to say Proctor will be a starter or even sixth man of the year, but with his particular skillset and the roster the Cavs have put together, it’s all but inevitable that he will play his way into a prominent role at some point this season. 

Tomlin Becomes Go-To Bench Big Man 

The surprise of the summer for Cleveland was forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin, who was arguably the best player all summer for them. He averaged the second-most points on the team (19.6) while shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from deep. 

Tomlin also averaged 8.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists, proving that he can contribute in a variety of ways. He also showed tremendous chemistry with Jaylon Tyson, as the pair consistently found each other for impressive buckets. 

If this momentum can translate to the big stage, the Tomlin/Tyson duo off the bench could be extremely effective. Even if it doesn’t, though, Tomlin is still the kind of player who can make a big difference. 

Keep in mind, he didn’t start playing basketball until he was an adult, so this kind of development is much more impressive than meets the eye. Aside from Tomlin, the only available forwards are Dean Wade, Tristan Thompson, and Chuma Okeke, so the stars are aligned for a breakout for the summer league sensation. 

End Of My Cavaliers Rant

While any of these predictions may seem too far out there, when looking at how this season is shaping up, all of them feel inevitable. Mobley’s progression rivals the all-time greats, and both the Cavaliers’ guard and big man depth are ripe for a new face to take over. With the 2025-26 season rapidly approaching, fans should start to get a better idea of how their teams’ seasons will unfold. For Cleveland fans, though, they can almost assuredly bank on Mobley being an MVP candidate, and Proctor and Tomlin both playing large roles in the Cavaliers’ system.