Evan Mobley, Cavaliers Agree To Five-Year, $224M Extension With Rose Rule Provision

[RealGM Wiretap]

Evan Mobley and the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to a five-year, $224 million maximum rookie contract extension that could be worth $269 million if he qualifies for the Rose rule during the 24-25 season. 

Via Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

[Ayuandmi]

Wow getting that bag

[Luv those Knicks]

I'm open to being wrong, but I think the only way to win is to get a true superstar (Giannis, Jokic), give them the max and build around them, or get a bunch of good, less than max players and win that way.

Mobley & Mitchell are good players, but I don't think you can build a championship team around those 2 players getting max deals.

[tecumseh18]

I'm open to being wrong, but I think the only way to win is to get a true superstar (Giannis, Jokic), give them the max and build around them, or get a bunch of good, less than max players and win that way.

Mobley & Mitchell are good players, but I don't think you can build a championship team around those 2 players getting max deals.

Yeah, and part of being a true superstar is being a force at both ends - AD for example. Jokic isn't the greatest defender, but he does rebound, and thereby helps to end the opponent's possession. Jaylen Brown doesn't "seem" like a superstar in the Giannis/Lebron/KD mould, but he is truly elite at both ends, especially defensively. And despite his humongous salary, his team won. So far Donovan and Mobley (and Franz) are only elite at one end, and don't really show potential to be legit two-way stars.

But there's so much media cash in the pipeline over the next few years, none of this may even matter.

[castor777]

I'm open to being wrong, but I think the only way to win is to get a true superstar (Giannis, Jokic), give them the max and build around them, or get a bunch of good, less than max players and win that way.

Mobley & Mitchell are good players, but I don't think you can build a championship team around those 2 players getting max deals.

That's not a wrong take, but there's also the pure luck of getting the right player and one that will be loyal to a small market team like Cleveland too. We heard ever since the Cavs got Mitchell that he'd bolt out of there the first chance he got, and they are fortunate he's staying to allow this core to continue progressing. A player like Mobley that shows he could be even better with more focus on offense this coming year is a definite plus for them as well. Will they win a title with this group? Highly unlikely, though having a competitive team that fights in the postseason and sells out their arena is the 2nd best thing they can ask for in that market.

[dsg2021]

I'm open to being wrong, but I think the only way to win is to get a true superstar (Giannis, Jokic), give them the max and build around them, or get a bunch of good, less than max players and win that way.

Mobley & Mitchell are good players, but I don't think you can build a championship team around those 2 players getting max deals.

Yeah, and part of being a true superstar is being a force at both ends - AD for example. Jokic isn't the greatest defender, but he does rebound, and thereby helps to end the opponent's possession. Jaylen Brown doesn't "seem" like a superstar in the Giannis/Lebron/KD mould, but he is truly elite at both ends, especially defensively. And despite his humongous salary, his team won. So far Donovan and Mobley (and Franz) are only elite at one end, and don't really show potential to be legit two-way stars.

But there's so much media cash in the pipeline over the next few years, none of this may even matter.

Franz is elite on defense. It gets a little under-looked but it truly is. And it’s even very consistent. Knock him on his shooting though and I have less videotape to argue with.

[puja21]

I'm open to being wrong, but I think the only way to win is to get a true superstar (Giannis, Jokic), give them the max and build around them, or get a bunch of good, less than max players and win that way.

Mobley & Mitchell are good players, but I don't think you can build a championship team around those 2 players getting max deals.

Yeah, and part of being a true superstar is being a force at both ends - AD for example. Jokic isn't the greatest defender, but he does rebound, and thereby helps to end the opponent's possession. Jaylen Brown doesn't "seem" like a superstar in the Giannis/Lebron/KD mould, but he is truly elite at both ends, especially defensively. And despite his humongous salary, his team won. So far Donovan and Mobley (and Franz) are only elite at one end, and don't really show potential to be legit two-way stars.

But there's so much media cash in the pipeline over the next few years, none of this may even matter.

To be fair, no one is paid for what they did previously

Case in point: Brown wasn't "truly elite" defensively until this past season.

In 2019, when Brown signed the incentive-laden 4y "103M or 107M or 115M" deal that just ended, feedback was mixed.

The majority of the pods/msg boards/articles were about "an overpay based on what he did last year" both because it was 22.67% of the cap in his first year and he hadn't shown "true #1 star" potential.

But there were plenty of takes saying it's a bargain because Brown didn't get the full max. One exec even said they would've made a full max offer to press Ainge to match, but were blocked by ownership. And he called Brown the "perfect 1A" for Tatum.

Cleveland has no choice here really. It's too soon to blow it up for Altman (nor would ownership support that). And it's rare that a player takes (or circumstances force him to take) less than their max potential contract -- meaning, rare to see Steph Curry or Rondo's famous bargain deals.

Rather, this situation with Cleveland happens way more often where it's a gamble based on future and the GMs just "see where it goes." Brad Stevens had no certainty Derrick White would become a much better Marcus Smart in exchange for a late FRP.

Ultimately, that's the job -- predict future growth.

[ontnut]

I'm open to being wrong, but I think the only way to win is to get a true superstar (Giannis, Jokic), give them the max and build around them, or get a bunch of good, less than max players and win that way.

Mobley & Mitchell are good players, but I don't think you can build a championship team around those 2 players getting max deals.

With the salary cap of today, "True superstars" are underpaid, even on the supermax. All-stars are expected to get the max. Mobley/Wagner/Barnes are the young players who have shown the potential to become, or already have become, all-stars.

Yes, getting below value through the draft, un-drafted signings, reclamation projects etc., is important too (look at how the 2019 Raptors were built). And yes, knowing that it's very difficult to win a championship building around max players who are not at least in the top...60ish on both ends of the floor, is very difficult. It's perpetually been the problem with paying small, offensive oriented guards like Mitchell, Trae etc., or wings who don't guard well/shoot 3's well like Derozan, Siakam., or Bigs who can't stretch the floor like Allen, Gobert. They all get exposed in the playoffs.

Mobley at least has has shown improvement last year, hitting 37.3% of 3's, albeit on miniscule volume. He made DPOY-3 the previous season. If he can combine those two seasons and get some more usage, he's close to being a 20/10/3/1.5blk kinda guy on 55-60% from the field. That's easily an all-star, and thus, worthy of the max (and also a guy you could build around).

Same thing with Barnes...if his 3 gets better, he's a perennial all-star, and sniffs all-NBA.

Wagner I'd be more concerned about because I simply don't think he affects the game nearly as consistently as Mobley or Barnes. He's kind of a jack of all trades type without really being great at anything. A 3rd/4th banana type like a better 3p shooting, but worse at everything else Siakam type. But ultimately ORL was pretty pressured to keep him based on his year 2 play, and pray that the 3p% regression was just a blip.