Mobley could soon agree to max extension

Mobley is expected to sign an extension that would come into effect for the 2025-26 season.

Getting Evan Mobley locked up long-term is the Cleveland Cavaliers’ next order of business this offseason. This would come in the form of a max contract extension that would kick in during the 2025-26 season. Other members of Mobley’s 2021 NBA Draft class such as Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes, and Franz Wagner have already signed max extensions.

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, it’s a matter of when and not if Mobley will join them.

I would expect the contract to be done somewhat soon. I think the Cavs are willing to give him the max, and quite frankly, they don’t have a leg to stand on now that the guys around him in their draft class with comparable statistics and comparable futures have gotten the max.

Windhorst went on to mention that there are some things that could be causing the negotiation to drag on a little. Agreeing on things such as a player option or a trade kicker are examples of what may still need to be ironed out. At the time, they aren’t at an impasse.

Going off of what Barnes just signed with the Toronto Raptors, a five-year extension worth at least $225 million that could reach $270 million depending on whether the criteria for a supermax contract are met, is what should be expected.

Mobley has shown that he’s worthy of a rookie-scale max extension. He was a runner-up to Rookie of the Year in 2022 and was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year the following season. Mobley accelerated this team’s timetable by being so impactful on the defensive end, that the front office went all in on Donovan Mitchell.

Figuring out how to better optimize Mobley on the offensive side of the ball is something Kenny Atkinson will need to figure out. His tenure and whether the Cavs are able to reach their ceiling could depend on if Mobley is able to take his game to the next level.

“With the roster that’s in place, there’s enough to take that next step, no doubt about it,” Atkinson said during his introductory press conference. “But Evan is a big piece of that. I’m going to feel a huge responsibility to help him get to that, top 15, top 20 [player].”