Cavaliers Coach Kenny Atkinson Expects Evan Mobley To Be In MVP Conversation Soon

Mobley played in 71 games last season. The USC product averaged 18.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.6 blocks while shooting 55.7% from the field, 37.0% from beyond the arc and 72.5% from the free-throw line. 

By winning Defensive Player of the Year last season, Mobley triggered a clause in his contract that calls for him to increase the first-year salary of his rookie-scale extension from 25% to 30% of the salary cap.

The Cavaliers were the No. 1 seed in the East in 2024-25. They swept the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs but lost to the Indiana Pacers in the second round in five games.  

Mobley put up 17.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks per game in the 2025 playoffs. He missed Game 2 of the Pacers series with an ankle injury. 

“We’re going to go as a franchise as Evan is going to go,” Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman said during his end-of-the-season press conference. “And we’ve had that conversation with Evan. In the playoffs, we need more. We need more than 13 field goal attempts per game — that’s new for Evan. There’s another jump. 

“And so to that point, Kenny’s going to be able to implement his offseason program, which we’re very excited about. And we’re going to see some internal growth there, and we think we have one of the best big men in the game in Evan Mobley.”