Evan Mobley's impact on the Cleveland Cavaliers comes on both ends of the floor, and that continued this season. It wasn't perfect by any means, and there were lumps at times, but he fought through physical challenges and offensive lapses admirably.

Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson tried him out as a point forward early, which didn't work out the best. He had Mobley handling primarily, focusing on perimeter shooting and guard-like distribution tendencies instead of sticking to his strengths. The regular season is meant for trying things out, so it didn't necessarily set him back for the long haul, but it didn't put him in the best position to succeed.

Once Cleveland got him back to playing like a hub rather than a first-option creator, Mobley took off. He had a left calf strain injury that popped up twice, so that halted the momentum he had found. To his credit, however, the now 25-year-old broke through even more after the trade deadline.

In the playoffs, Mobley was arguably the Cavs' best player. He utilized his catch-and-drive abilities, won his spots in the half-court without the ball, and ultimately made timely shots from beyond the arc when the team needed it most. His performance in Game 5 in Detroit in the second round was a huge reason the Wine and Gold reached its first Eastern Conference Finals since 2018. 

It is clear that when Mobley isn't being prioritized, Cleveland does not succeed to the level it should. There is a pattern of him being either frozen out or not demanding the ball enough, which should be recognized at this point in his career. He is on a trajectory to be "the guy" for the franchise. He just needs the opportunity, and it's both on him and the group as a whole to take hold of the wheel.

REGULAR SEASON STATS

18.2 POINTS | 9.0 REBOUNDS | 3.6 ASSISTS | 54.6% FG | 29.7% 3PT | 60.6% FT

PLAYOFF STATS

17.0 POINTS | 8.1 REBOUNDS | 3.6 ASSISTS | 53.5% FG | 33.8% 3PT | 62.1% FT

Mobley will continue to build on what he's done so far, which is to be expected for how talented and versatile he truly is as a player. He needs to be better at the free-throw line, but there's a real chance that the calf was affecting him there, too.

Working inside out would work wonders for him as a face-up threat, as would getting him in the pocket consistently to read the rim. His passing acumen is up there with the best big men to do it, and the job he does on the move is difficult to stop. Self-creation in the half-court is still a work in progress, but that comes with time. 

Defensively, there are few better than Mobley in terms of individual prowess. He thinks ahead and sees things before they happen. There's a reason Mobley is so highly valued around this league. The Cavs know it, and he'll undoubtedly be a vital piece moving forward. 

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