Predicting the year-end awards for the Cleveland Cavaliers

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CLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 26: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers poses for a photo during Media Day at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on September 26, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Evan Mobley – Defensive Player of the Year Contender and more

Evan Mobley is someone who will chart well defensively. He’ll certainly be the Defensive Player of the Year eventually, but will it be in 2023? Unlikely. However, he will make some noise this year, and I expect him to finish in the Top 3 of the award. It may not sound like much of an achievement, but no one his age has ever won the Defensive Player of the Year Award, so a Top 3 placing would be huge for him.

That’s not all, as Mobley is a near-lock to end up on one of the two NBA All-Defensive Teams as well. He’ll likely get the Second Team nod, but his play has been so good he could land on the First Team line. Getting on either would be a huge moment for the young big.

Lastly and least talked about, is Mobley’s real-to-life shot at landing the Most Improved Player award. He missed out on the Rookie of the Year to overzealous voters, who prefer to vote with their feelings over facts, but Mobley is a clear-cut candidate to land the Most Improved, or at least should be. He’s taken a jump from “very good rookie” to “borderline elite player”, and that jump should be noticed.

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