Evan Mobley officially signed a multi-year contract extension with the Cavs, president of basketball operations Koby Altman announced Monday afternoon.
Late Saturday evening, sources told cleveland.com that Mobley and the Cavs agreed to a five-year, $224 million maximum rookie contract extension that could become worth as much as $269 million based on incentives. Before the extension, Mobley was under contract through the 2024-25 season.
PAY THE MAN‼️‼️ IM NOT PAYING FOR NOTHIN NO MORE😂😂😂 CONGRATS BROTHA @evanmobley https://t.co/UOvnJ398LT
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) July 21, 2024
When the Cavs drafted Mobley third overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, they had expectations that Mobley could become a franchise pillar that leads them to their second championship. The max contract only solidifies that belief.
“We are thrilled to sign Evan to a long-term extension, solidifying his place as a cornerstone of our franchise,” said Altman. “Evan has quickly established himself as one of the premier defensive players in the league, and we’ve only scratched the surface of his overall potential. Since drafting him, he only knows winning basketball and has proven to be pivotal to our team’s success.
“His exceptional work ethic, versatility, and commitment to excellence both on and off the court truly embody what it means to be a Cleveland Cavalier. We believe Evan’s best basketball is still ahead of him, and we couldn’t be more excited to continue building something special together for many years to come.”
This past season was one of the most trying of Mobley’s career as he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his knee with a lengthy timeline to return. But, as he’s done throughout his career, Mobley came back on his own terms well before the scheduled return date.
The 7-footer posted career highs in field goal percentage (.580, 11th-best in NBA), three-point percentage (.373), free throw percentage (.719), rebounds (9.4) and assists (3.2), to go along with averaging 15.7 points per game over his 50 games this past season.
Cleveland’s goals expand beyond the regular season with the current roster they’ve constructed, including extending Donovan Mitchell on a multi-year deal earlier this month. Although Mobley’s first experience in the playoffs during the 2022-23 season was eye-opening, he grew substantially in his next exposure to the playoff stage this past year.
Play Your Game, @evanmobley. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/DvbjXdbLNo
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) July 22, 2024
Mobley’s 2.17 blocks per game during the 2024 NBA playoffs were the most by any Cavalier in a single playoff since 1992 (Larry Nance, 2.71). The 23-year-old set the franchise record for most blocks in a single playoff series with 21 in the first round against the Orlando Magic.
While Mobley has been known as a defensive unicorn since entering the league — earning an NBA All-Defensive First Team selection and Defensive Player of the Year finalist in 2022-23 — he gave a glimpse into his offensive potential in the final game of the Cavs season against the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics. On May 15, Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Mobley became the third-youngest Cavalier to record 30 or more points in a postseason game (LeBron James and Daniel Gibson) when he tallied 33 points, seven rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocks in 43 minutes during the 113-98 season-ending loss.
OFFICIAL: EV4’s Extended. #LetEmKnow
🔗 https://t.co/YqDAqisP6t pic.twitter.com/N123x3XqKt
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) July 22, 2024
The extension for Mobley is a reward for his defense that has earned him multiple spots in Cavs franchise history record books. But the new contract also brings an added expectation that the rising star can improve his offense consistently to the level that the organization saw in the Celtics series.
Multiple members of the Cavs organization believe that Mobley is the key to reaching the NBA Finals again, and the franchise put its money where its mouth is.
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