Georges Niang Explains Why Cavs Won’t Offer Evan Mobley To Bucks For Giannis Antetokounmpo: ‘I Was Over There’

According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, the Cavaliers trading Mobley to the Bucks for Antetokounmpo comes up in talks with NBA execs and agents. 

Antetokounmpo hasn’t requested a trade from the Bucks, but he’s reportedly open-minded about leaving Milwaukee this offseason for the first time in his career. 

Mobley turns 24 this summer. He made his first All-Star team this year and won the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

A USC product, Mobley averaged 18.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.6 blocks this season. He has career averages of 16.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.6 blocks with the Cavaliers.

Mobley signed a five-year, $224 million extension with Cleveland last summer. The big man winning the 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year Award triggered a clause in his contract that calls for him to increase the first-year salary of his rookie-scale extension from 25 to 30% of the salary cap.

As a result, the Cavaliers are now projected to have $219 million in salary for the 2025-26 season and be over the second apron.

Despite being the No. 1 seed in the East, the Cavaliers lost to the Indiana Pacers in the second round of this year’s playoffs in five games. Mobley missed Game 2 with an ankle injury. 

Milwaukee lost to the Pacers in the first round of this year’s postseason in five games. And to make matters worse, All-Star point guard Damian Lillard tore his left Achilles tendon in Game 4 and could miss the entire 2025-26 season, which is why many believe Antetokounmpo should request a trade. 

The Bucks signed Antetokounmpo to a three-year, $175 million extension in October 2023. Antetokounmpo is a two-time MVP, a one-time Finals MVP, a one-time Defensive Player of the Year and a nine-time All-Star. He has spent his entire career with the Bucks.

A superstar forward, Antetokounmpo has career averages of 23.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks. The Greek Freak put up 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.2 blocks per game for the Bucks this season.