The Milwaukee Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers are rivals in the NBA’s central division, and both teams may be poised to make significant changes during the 2025 offseason. The Bucks might consider rebuilding by trading their star player, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers could contemplate dismantling their core four players and pursuing a trade to enhance their competitiveness. Despite finishing the regular season with an impressive 64-18 record, Cleveland was eliminated in the second round of the NBA playoffs by the Indiana Pacers. The Cavaliers appear to lack a certain toughness in their lineup, and they may seek to address this deficiency in the upcoming offseason.
On Sunday night, Bill Simmons discussed the Milwaukee Bucks and the potential future of Giannis Antetokounmpo during his podcast. He proposed an intriguing mock trade between the Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers, suggesting a direct exchange of Giannis for Evan Mobley. Simmons stated, ‘Mobley for Giannis straight up. What do you think? He’s six and a half years younger… I think I’m doing it. I believe it’s a beneficial trade.’ While Milwaukee might not receive sufficient compensation in this deal, they would acquire a promising superstar for the future. Additionally, the Bucks could explore further trades with other teams such as the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, and Oklahoma City Thunder to enhance their roster.
The Cavaliers may consider pursuing Antetokounmpo during the offseason to enhance their competitiveness, although Milwaukee might be reluctant to trade within the same division. Cleveland could opt to retain Mobley or Mitchell, believing that other assets on their roster are more expendable.
In the 2024-2025 season, Antetokounmpo played 67 games for Milwaukee, averaging 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game, while shooting an impressive 60.1% from the field. At 30 years of age, he is likely seeking a team that is ready to contend for a championship.
Mobley, who recently earned the Defensive Player of the Year award, is just 23 years old. Over 71 games with the Cavaliers in the same season, he averaged 18.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 0.9 steals, with a shooting percentage of 55.7%. Given his youth, Mobley has significant potential for further development as an NBA player.
Trades between divisional rivals are uncommon, making this potential deal particularly intriguing. It could be likened to the trade that sent DeMar DeRozan from the Toronto Raptors to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Kawhi Leonard, which, despite the teams not being divisional rivals, ultimately propelled Toronto to success in the 2018-2019 NBA season.
