The Cleveland Cavaliers and Evan Mobley are in a strange position. The team would love for their franchise center to develop and grow as a player. At the same time, they might root against him making an All-NBA team or winning Defensive Player of the Year. The problem for the Cavs is that they will lose their financial flexibility if Mobley makes any All-NBA team or wins the DPOY.
Cavaliers Secretly Hope Evan Mobley Doesn’t Bring Home a DPOY
Last summer, Mobley and the Cavs agreed on a five-year, $224 million extension. As with most contracts, they added bonuses as incentives. One of those bonuses might come back to bite the Cavs. Per the contract, Evan Mobley can get a raise on his salary if he wins Defensive Player of the Year or makes an All-NBA team. In both cases, they lose their financial flexibility.
Right now, the Cavaliers have a projected salary of $207.5 million for the 2025-26 season. That is with Evan Mobley projected to earn $38.7 million. But if he wins a DPOY, his salary will rise to 30% of the cap, meaning he will earn $46.3 million. The overall value of his extension will rise from $224 to a projected $269 million. If he misses out on DPOY but makes an All-NBA team, his salary will rise to 27.5% of the cap.
In either case, the Cavs will be over the second apron, barring any other moves in the summer. For next season, the projections are that the first apron will be at $195.9 million, while the second at $207.8 million. Right now, the Cavs are a few hundred dollars below the second apron.
Ty Jerome Might Lose Because of Evan Mobley
Here is an interesting scenario that might happen if the Cavs get over the second apron. They might have to let go of one of their best bench guys. Right now, Ty Jerome earns $2.5 million. He will be one of the more coveted role players on the market in the summer. If the Cavs get over the second apron, they cannot use the taxpayer mid-level exception. That would lower their chances of offering Jerome a significant pay raise and competing with other teams that would love his services.
The Bad News for the Cavs
Right now, Mobley looks like the runaway favorite to win the DPOY award. Polymarket, a popular betting website, gives him a 91% chance to win the award, followed by Dyson Daniels at 3% and Draymond Green at 3%. Just a couple of weeks ago, Green was the betting favorite to win the award. But his Golden State Warriors lost three of their last five regular-season games, severely hurting his chances. On the other hand, the Cavaliers clinched the top seed in the East and the second-best record in the league.
Speaking for his All-NBA chances, at worst, he should make the third team. Some of the forwards ahead of him include Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and LeBron James. Other competitors for All-NBA include Karl Anthony-Towns. Jaren Jackson Jr, Alperen Sengun, Jalen Williams, Tyrese Haliburton, James Harden, and Domantas Sabonis. Some can argue that Mobley should make the second team, but let’s wait and see.
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