The Cleveland Cavaliers may be weighing a schematic change that could end up altering their future.
After losing prematurely in the Eastern Conference semifinals when they had dominated the regular season was not exactly how the Cleveland Cavaliers expected their season to end. Nevertheless, after such a disappointing end to their season, it is naturally going to force the franchise to take a good, strong look in the mirror. That may have led them to this one schematic debate in which, according to a report, some inside the organization are split on whether Donovan Mitchell should be the most focal part of the team.
Some inside the Cavs' organization believe that if Cleveland is going to win a title, they need Evan Mobley to be the team's best player. In theory, that could make sense. Taking some of the pressure off Mitchell's shoulders wouldn't be the worst idea. However, pushing Mobley to make that type of jump is not that simple.
Can Evan Mobley make that superstar jump for the Cavs?
Of course, here's the problem with that. If the Cavs believe that Mobley should be the best player on the team, that requires the head coach to scheme their offense that way. That means moving the offensive slightly away from Mitchell and in favor of Mobley. While that may seem simple enough, that does add more risk to the team overall.
If Mobley isn't ready for such a role, we could see this team truly struggle as they make these schematic changes. The last thing the Cavs need or should want is to give Mobley too much responsibility too fast. That will only lead to possible regression, not only from Mobley but possibly also for the team overall.
Objectively speaking, Mobley could be on that superstar track. He's continued to steadily improve throughout his first four years in the league, even with the addition of Mitchell to the lineup. He's an extremely efficient player, but it's clear that the Cavs, or at least some in the organization, want him to be more aggressive.
One of the bigger questions revolves around whether Mobley has that level of aggression in his game. Throughout his career, he's flashed it several times. He simply hasn't been consistent with that mindset. Then again, he hasn't really had to with how talented of a roster Cleveland has had for the last few years.
Heading into the offseason, there'll be a call for him to change that approach. If the Cavs are truly serious about propping Mobley up even more, there'll also have to be a schematic one. But that's something that comes with a fair level of risk. Is Mobley ready for that type of jump, or is he even the type of player that could play such a role? The Cavs are surely hoping so. That could ultimately determine whether this core is good enough to win a championship or not.