Cavaliers: Evan Mobley excited to grow his game in new roles

Kenny Atkinson said all the right things during his interviews with the front office about how he was going to light a fire under Evan Mobley as his coach. The Cavaliers are well aware of Mobley's skill level, defensive prowess and athleticism. Now, it's time for him to take a major step on the offensive end and start taking his perimeter shot to a new level. More importantly, it's time for him to go from being a finesse player to an aggressive one. Mobley, 23, said he's put on weight — he's still listed at 7-foot, 215 pounds — and added strength this offseason. "At his age, he's just going to get better," Atkinson said. "There's going to be natural improvement." Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman said Mobley is wise beyond his years. "It's very rare a young guy comes into the league and effects winning," he said. Atkinson said Mobley will have the ball in his hands a lot more. "It starts with his usage," he said. "A lot of good offensive teams play through their bigs." Mobley had the ball in his hands a lot more in the playoff series against the Boston Celtics. "The skill level is undeniable," Atkinson said. "His passing is elite. We do want him to get downhill more. I'd like him to be more aggressive to the rim." The new coach envisions Mobley bringing the ball up the court more than in the past. "You'll see more of that," Atkinson said. "Can we get him on the offensive boards a little more?" They also want him to launch more 3-point shots. "He's more than capable of stretching (the defense)," the coach said. "Yes, we want him to shoot more threes, but not like (Milwaukee Bucks center) Brook Lopez at nine a game." Mobley said Atkinson will be using him in many different ways. "He'll be throwing me out there to try new things," he said. "Me being in different situations will add different aspects to the game. I'm looking forward to this year a lot." The Cavs will give him the chance to grow into the type of player they want him to be. "You have to take your time," Mobley said. "Initially, you might not be the best at it, but you can keep working at it. That's been my approach since I entered the league. I feel I've gotten better at every aspect of my game." He said his offseason workouts were "very calculated." "I was in the weight room almost every day," Mobley said. "In the beginning, that was the main focus. "As the summer went on, I got on the court gradually. I worked on a lot of shooting. I built up and started doing a lot more contact (work) with the coaches, trying to get downhill and imposing my will in the paint." He wouldn't say how much he weighed. "I'm not going to put a number on it," Mobley said. "I definitely put on more weight and got stronger." He has set personal goals of making the All-Star team and to "get back in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation." Mobley devoted his summer to getting stronger, taking more 3-pointers and working on his ballhandling. "Shoot when you're open," he said. "Shoot with confidence. "A lot of my coaches know that I'm a very smart player and always make the right play. They trust me in doing that." The highlight of his summer came July 21 when he signed a five-year, $224 million extension. "That was a great moment," Mobley said. "Getting that contract is a big step and accolade for me and my family. There's a feeling that this organization is backing me and really believes in me. That feeling is amazing." Contact Bob Finnan at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him on @BobCavsinsider on X.