INDEPENDENCE — As Donovan Mitchell addressed media at Cavaliers headquarters the morning after the team’s season ended with a devastating thud, two TVs hanging from the ceiling on both sides of the All-Star guard put him on blast.
Although the volume was muted, bold text on the screens made the topic on ESPN’s “First Take” clear: “How much criticism does Donovan Mitchell deserve?”
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The answer is Mitchell shouldn’t be blamed for Cleveland underachieving nearly as much as his supporting cast because he had a phenomenal postseason. However, there is a related big-picture point worth making after the top-seeded Cavs fell 4-1 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals to the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers.
For the Cavs to reach their playoff goals after stalling in Round 2 for the second time in as many years, they will need All-Star forward Evan Mobley to surpass Mitchell as the team’s focal point.
When the Cavs introduced Kenny Atkinson in July, the eventual NBA Coach of the Year said the team could be a championship contender with Mitchell as its best player. But as great as Mitchell has been as a six-time All-Star and Cleveland’s undisputed top player in the three seasons since he arrived in a trade with the Utah Jazz, the most significant internal improvement the Cavs could make as a whole would stem from Mobley evolving into their best player.
Should roster changes be made this offseason? Absolutely. Whether the core four of Mitchell, Mobley, All-Star point guard Darius Garland and center Jarrett Allen will be broken up remains to be seen. If Allen were to be traded, Mobley would likely become a center in a five-out offense similar to the systems deployed by the Pacers and 2023-24 NBA champion Boston Celtics, among other teams.
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Regardless, Mobley isn’t going anywhere, barring something completely shocking, and he will remain the main key to unlocking the Cavs’ full potential.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton hugs Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley after Game 5 in the second round of the NBA playoffs, May 13, 2025, in Cleveland.
Mobley, who will turn 24 on June 18, took impressive steps during the 2024-25 season. He became a first-time All-Star and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He’s expected to be on one of the All-NBA teams.
Still, Mobley’s individual performance in the playoffs didn’t match his regular-season success, meaning he could be viewed as a microcosm for the Cavs. He isn’t the only one, and he wasn’t the lone player who pushed through injury, either.
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Mobley suffered a sprained left ankle in Game 1 against the Pacers and sat out Game 2 before playing in the final three games of the series. He dominated on both ends of the floor upon returning for Game 3, when the Cavs captured their only victory. He also revealed taking a knee to his left calf slowed in him Game 5, when he scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Cavs lost 114-105 on May 13 at home to end their season in major disappointment.
A lack of consistent assertiveness was the predominant issue for Mobley, not one of his injuries.
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) drives to the basket as Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) defends during Game 5 of a second-round playoff series May 13, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
The son of a longtime basketball coach, Mobley understands what must be done, and his desire for self-improvement should encourage the Cavs. This version of the team won’t reach its championship aspirations until Mobley’s playoff readiness can no longer be questioned. True playoff stars can be counted on time and again.
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“I just got to go be more active,” Mobley said Wednesday, May 14, as the Cavs held season wrap-up news conferences less than 24 hours after they were eliminated. “Whether that’s rebounding, whether that’s getting the ball somehow, I’ve just got to be more active out there on the floor as much as possible. I can’t go like nonexistent sometimes.”
Mitchell and Garland play a role in Mobley’s involvement, but the 7-footer does, too. If Mobley’s “nonexistent” quote is his version of “give me the ball,” good. The soft-spoken Mobley must compel the guards to ensure he’s not a forgotten force and then follow through with actions.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) warms up before Game 5 a second-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on May 13, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
In 71 regular-season games, Mobley averaged 18.5 points on 55.7% shooting from the field (37% on 3-pointers), 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.6 blocked shots and 30.5 minutes.
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In eight playoff games, Mobley averaged 17.1 points on 58.6% shooting from the floor (45.2% on 3s), 8.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals, 1 block and 32.1 minutes.
Mitchell knows a “nonexistent” Mobley is not a recipe for success. Mitchell singled out the presence of Mobley on the roster as the main difference between the Cavs and the 2020-21 Jazz, who were also a No. 1 seed defeated in the conference semifinals with Mitchell aboard.
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Mitchell explained he believes Mobley’s goal to become a future face of the NBA alongside San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama is realistic.
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“He’s a guy that next year coming in is going to be even more important, even more crucial,” Mitchell said. “[We’re] trying to get him to be even more aggressive, and that just takes time.
“We have a guy who is an All-NBA level talent, top-five player in the league one day, and he’s continuing to grow into that. And we as a group, as a whole, need to be better.
“He takes this upon himself to take that challenge. He said it to me last night. He’s locked in and ready for it.”
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) holds the ball as Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) defends during Game 3 of a second-round playoff series on May 9, 2025, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Mobley vowed to focus on striking a better balance instead of deferring too much at times to Mitchell and Garland. Like everything, it’s easier to achieve in the regular season than the playoffs. Doing it when it matters most requires elite basketball maturity as well as mental and physical toughness, especially when an injury is a factor.
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“His improvement will make our group improve,” Garland said of Mobley. “We’ve been telling him for years now as he grows, we all grow. I think he’s the catalyst of his group. He makes us a thousand times better when he’s aggressive and being an All-Star and the Defensive Player of the Year that we know.
“He’s definitely going to take the right step in just getting stronger, getting to his spots, getting to all the moves he wants to get to. And he’ll be right back in the same position or even better than he was this year.”
The Cavs need better and preferably sooner than later.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Evan Mobley nees to surpass Donovan Mitchell as Cavs best player