The Cleveland Cavaliers might be at the point of doing whatever it takes to contend for a NBA championship next season, even at the expense of some of their young stars.

After their disappointing loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cavs need to consider anything and everything when it comes to trading away players to bring in more help for next season. 

Obviously, Cleveland would love to retain as many of their stars as possible, especially the likes of Evan Mobley. New details from Koby Altman, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations, gives more insight into how the Cavs view Mobley’s future as of now.

Here’s what Koby Altman shared with the media regarding Evan Mobley.

Koby Altman praises Mobley for what he’s done in Cleveland

“Evan Mobley? Yeah, I mean he’s a part of our future.”

This is what Cavs fans were hoping to hear, especially with the recent talks about potential league altering trades involving Mobley.

“We’re not going to speculate on any players outside these walls. All I can tell you is since Evan’s been here, we’ve had the third best record in the league.

There is no arguing Altman’s points on Mobley, considering Cleveland has had a winning record and made either the play-in tournament or the playoffs in each of Mobley’s first five seasons.

Their winning percentage ranks amongst the league’s best as well since the 2021-22 season, much thanks to Mobley’s dominance as their big man of the future alongside veteran Jarrett Allen.

Mobley would go on to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award during the 2024-25 season, becoming the franchise’s first player to win the award as well as the fifth youngest in league history at just 23 years old.

Altman would go on to say, “all Evan has done is impact winning. He’s been remarkable for us in terms of our ascent. He knows he needs to get better.”

What this means for Evan Mobley going forward

Mobley has most certainly helped Cleveland finish each season near the top of the Eastern Conference and has continued to get better every year. However, fans and media have criticized his aggressiveness as a big man, urging him to be more physical with his size.

Standing at 6 foot 11 inches and weighing 215 pounds, Mobley ranks amongst the league’s tallest centers while showcasing dynamic abilities as both a ball handler and a shooter. His averages this past season include 18.2 points, nine rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game were some of his best stats in his career.

Mobley sits among some of the NBA’s best centers in regard to his defense, as he is one of four players to have at least 300 blocks and 150 steals, next to Anthony Davis, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Rudy Gobert. He has continued to build on those impressive stats as he keeps working to get better.

If the Cavs want to bet on Mobley being a true franchise player for the foreseeable future, they’ll need those numbers to increase next season. They’ll also need Mobley to show that defensive presence again that earned him DPOY honors two seasons ago.

In Mobley’s case, his 5-year, $224 million extension two summers ago keeps him in Cleveland through the 2029-30 season. Unfortunately, the NBA is a business, and at the end of the day, teams will do whatever they can to build a championship contending roster.

Based on Altman’s high praise, it would seem like Mobley is safe as a Cavalier. Don’t rule out the possibility of a trade if a team comes calling with an offer Cleveland can’t refuse.

ILLINOIS – As lawmakers work through the final days of the legislative session, some Illinois cannabis business owners are pushing for changes they say would reduce costs and make it easier to operate.

Among their top priorities are adjustments to security and surveillance requirements that dispensary owners argue were put in place when recreational cannabis was still new to Illinois. They say the industry has matured and that some regulations should be updated to reflect that reality.

What’s being proposed:

One of the biggest concerns for dispensary owners involves security requirements.

Under current Illinois law, cannabis dispensaries must contract with third-party security companies. Some operators say that can cost between $180,000 and $200,000 a year.

Supporters of proposed changes say trained employees could be allowed to handle certain security responsibilities, giving businesses more flexibility while maintaining safety standards.

Dispensary owners are also seeking changes to video surveillance requirements.

Current law requires cannabis businesses to store security footage for 90 days. Operators say that can be costly, particularly for smaller businesses, and argue that most issues requiring video review are identified within hours or days.

Industry perspective:

Edie Moore, co-owner of Sway Dispensary in Chicago, said many of the current regulations were created when lawmakers were uncertain about what legal recreational cannabis would look like.

“They threw everything at the wall, everyone was really scared of what recreational cannabis was gonna be like,” Moore said. “And now that we’re several years in, most of us are like, why do we have this? We don’t need this. This is onerous and an overreach.”

Moore said the industry is not asking to eliminate security measures, but rather to modernize regulations that operators believe are unnecessarily burdensome.

What’s next:

The Illinois General Assembly is expected to conclude its spring legislative session this weekend.

“Illinois cannabis is a very young industry,” Moore said. “It’s not a cautionary tale. It’s just really kind of an unfinished story, and we really need the opportunity to finish it, to be treated like any other business and just be able to operate.”