If the Cleveland Cavaliers throw Evan Mobley on the table in Giannis Antetokounmpo trade talks this coming offseason, other teams will be in trouble. While interested parties like the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat have captivating offers, Cleveland's offer could be far more enticing to a Milwaukee team that would be shifting toward more of a youth movement post-Giannis, in all likelihood.
East trio could run Giannis sweepstakes
All three of these teams have expressed some level of interest in Giannis this season, and it wouldn't be shocking if they did it again this summer. With all three, the offers feel clear.
Miami would offer Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, filler, and picks. Boston would center a deal around Jaylen Brown and draft capital. Cleveland would forge a Mobley/draft pick-centered offer. Each team offers something different, but of the three, the Cavaliers can truly satisfy Milwaukee's desire for a blue-chip prospect, something they've wanted since Giannis' name first popped up in trade talks.
Herro is a young All-Star, but his limitations on defense, paired with his contract, make him far from the most desirable asset. There is an argument that Ware fits the profile due to his upside and cheap contract, but certainly not as much as Mobley. Boston can offer Brown, but he's nearly 30; he's not the type of young piece they should look to build around.
Mobley should give Cleveland a distinct advantage over two other prominent Giannis trade suitors.
Mobley could be Bucks' next centerpiece
Mobley is indeed someone the Milwaukee Bucks reportedly asked for when talking to the Cavaliers about Giannis in recent months. Per NBA insider Jake Fischer (subscription required), the Bucks told Cleveland it would take Mobley and all available draft capital to get the wheels turning on a trade. The Bucks will certainly reiterate that message next summer.
There is plenty of desire with Mobley. The 24-year-old is already an All-Star, Defensive Player of the Year, and a two-time All-Defensive honoree. If given the keys to his own team, rather than sharing the floor with Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, and whoever else, a trade to Milwaukee could hand him the keys to his own franchise and see what he's made of in that regard.
No one would expect him to immediately replace Giannis Antetokounmpo, but between Mobley and the assortment of draft picks, the Milwaukee Bucks could have a nice foundation.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
Add us as a preferred source on Google