While writing for NBA.com, Shaun Powell dug into the 10 best players in the Eastern Conference ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Luckily for the Cleveland Cavaliers, two of their players made the list.
In his piece, Powell specifically shouted out Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley, calling one of them “transformational” and the other someone who is “approaching his peak.”
“He made the All-NBA First Team last season, which alone would catapult him to this list. Mitchell also qualifies as a transformational player for the second time, doing so once with Utah and now with the contending Cavs,” Powell wrote of Mitchell.
“As the reigning Kia Defensive Player of the Year and an All-NBA selection in 2024-25, Mobley is trending north and perhaps is still a few seasons away from approaching his peak. His growth is among the reasons why the Cavs are a strong contender, both last season and in 2025-26 … and maybe for the near future as well,” Powell wrote of Mobley.
It feels that both of these players are hitting their strides at the right time and could provide so much for the Cavaliers in the season ahead.
When he was brought to the team, Mitchell was seen as someone who could play the role of a leader.
He has publicly said that is what he wants to do, and 2025-26 will give him another chance to show that he can shoot very well, but also guide his team, motivating and inspiring them.
As for Mobley, the new season will be very important for him because he is going to be building upon the success he found in 2024-25, when he earned his first Defensive Player of the Year prize.
He needs to show that the season wasn’t a fluke and that he is only getting better.
So while 2025-26 will be a big opportunity for both, it’ll also bring high expectations and even some doubts.
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