Evan Mobley, Cavaliers Agree to 5-Year Contract Extension Worth Up to $269M

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley was set to enter the final year of his contract in 2024-25, but he will be staying put well beyond that.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski Mobley has agreed to a new five-year rookie maximum contract extension worth up to $269 million. He was set to make $11.2 million in 2024-25 after the Cavs exercised the team option on his rookie deal.

The No. 3 pick in the 2021 draft, Mobley has been solid but unspectacular through his first three years in the NBA. He earned a spot on the 2023 All-Defensive Team with averages of 16.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 blocks. However, he posted similar numbers this past season, leading some to believe that he may have already reached his ceiling.

Through 50 games in 2023-24, Mobley averaged 15.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 blocks. He missed extended time after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery midway through the year.

The Cavs are one of just a handful of teams to deploy two-big lineups, as Mobley has been paired with center Jarrett Allen in Cleveland's frontcourt throughout his career. The two of them helped the team rank seventh in scoring defense by holding opponents to 110.2 points per game.

Allen has two years remaining on his contract, though he has been rumored to be a trade candidate in recent months. The Cavs also fired head coach JB Bickerstaff and hired Kenny Atkinson as his replacement, so they are hoping he will be able to help Mobley and the rest of the team reach a new level.

At just 23 years old, Mobley still has the potential to develop into a more productive player. By locking him up for the next several years, Cleveland is banking on the belief that he will continue to grow and eventually become a superstar big man.