Evan Mobley warms up before game five between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers. Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cleveland Cavaliers star could become MVP candidate soon

Originally posted on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Sep 21, 2025 12:26 PM ET

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley is going into his fifth season with the team as he is slowly emerging into one of the best players in the NBA.

Bleacher Report writer Greg Swartz believes Mobley can become an MVP contender in the next couple of years.

"At age 23, Mobley won Defensive Player of the Year, was named to the All-NBA second team and reached his first All-Star game. He also finished 10th in MVP voting," Swartz wrote.

"New Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson did wonders for Mobley's development, especially on the offensive end. Mobley made a total of 67 three-pointers in his first three years in the NBA (on just 26.5 percent shooting). In one year under Atkinson, Mobley splashed 85 at a 37.0 percent clip.

"Increasing his offensive volume is going to be key to Mobley winning MVP one day, as he's already been crowned the NBA's best defender."

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Mobley is already the league's best defender, but in order for him to become a true MVP contender, he will have to get better on the offensive end of the floor.

Mobley averaged a career-high 18.5 points per game last season with the Cavs and has improved his scoring output in each year he's been in the league with the exception of the 2023-24 campaign, where he missed 32 games due to injury.

Should Mobley get better in that regard, he will only continue to get more recognition from the rest of the league.

"His usage rate jumped to a career-high 23.2 percent last season. With Darius Garland and Max Strus both projected to miss the beginning of the 2025-26 season due to injury, Mobley should get far more offensive touches alongside Donovan Mitchell," Swartz wrote.

"If Mitchell is still playing next to Mobley with the Cavs in five years, the All-NBA guard will be 34 years old. There's a strong chance that Mobley will take over as the No. 1 scoring option between now and then.

"An elite defender who grew his offensive game exponentially last season, Mobley will be a key name to watch in the MVP race moving forward."

The upcoming season is a big one for Mobley and the Cavs. They are trying to figure out how to improve from their 64-win campaign to make some noise in the playoffs.

If Mobley continues to get better, the Cavs will remain a key factor in the Eastern Conference contender race, which is probably what the former No. 3 overall pick prefers over MVP recognition.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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