Life great unanswered questions include the likes of the Bermuda Triangle, or maybe even the Illuminati. But as of May 2025, you can add Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future to that list. It seems like the Greek’s future is as uncertain as life itself. Where will he go? When will we know? Nothing’s guaranteed until his sit down with the Milwaukee Bucks after the season’s conclusion. But the rumor mill stops for no one. It seems to have churned out ideas that could see Giannis to any of the 29 teams. And the latest of the lot is the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t come cheap by any means. And that’s not just due to his quality- it’s more to do with what the Bucks will be demanding. They’re short of firepower, squad depth, and trade picks right now. For arguably their best ever player, they’d be looking for a lot more than just cash. They have no control over their first-round picks for the next five years. So even tanking the season is out the window for ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“If you think Milwaukee is tanking, you’ve got it wrong. Milwaukee cannot tank. do not control their first round pick for the next five years. So if they make a Giannis trade, even if it is beautiful for four years from now, and it results in them winning 17 games next year, they’re going to have a party in New Orleans because that’s who controls their pick. They have to have a real team on the other side of it, unless they go to New Orleans and make the deal for Giannis and get their picks back. They have to have a real team on the other side of it,” said Windy on the pod.
Turns out that the Cavs are an amazing proposition for Antetokounmpo. They’re exactly what he’s looking for: a championship contendor, residing in the East. Giannis has already made it clear that he’d rather stick to the East than get his freak on in the Wild West. So with Boston in the drain and the likes of the Knicks and Pacers on the rise, the Cavs could be a solid base for Giannis to grow his legacy, and end Cleveland’s 10-year wait for a championship. But according to Windhorst, it’s easier said than done.
“Here’s where I once again have to use the word aprons because both of those teams are second apron teams. It’s not impossible… but I would need Bobby Marks and a bunch of spreadsheets to be able to have a real conversation. It’s not like it was a few years ago where you have two teams deem it so it can it can happen. And then you need to get into like well, there’s three team, four team, six team, 12 team scenarios… Really these days you have to consider that as well. But if Cleveland could get Giannis, yes, I would seriously I would take the phone call,” said Windy on the Dan Patrick Show.
This might just feel like a far-fetched dream, but Luka Doncic’s trade taught us not to take anything for granted. Giannis Antetokounmpo teaming up with the likes of Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley could make the Cavs unbeatable. But before getting a taste of the Greek, Kenny Atkinson has a dilemma regarding the roles of Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
Cavs’ $315 million dilemma makes Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade tough
You don’t go from a 64-win season to a second-straight semis loss without something being inherently wrong in the team. And reports state a change to the long-standing and loved status quo of the team. Ever since the 4-1 series loss to the Pacers, there’s been rumors that Cavs’ President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman wants to break the core four of Mitchell, Mobley, Allen, and Darius Garland. And due to the role clashes of the pair, it seems the change might come with the thoughts of Cleveland valuing Mobley over Allen.
“But I’d say over the years the bigger concern I had with them is- can you play two centers? Even though Mobley- we can call him a power forward. But we’ve been really over the years conditioned to believe like you can really only play one of those guys and in a playoff series. Do you have two dudes that don’t space the floor at all in Mobley and Allen? But I think it was a real thing in some of their other playoff failures this year,” said Ryen Russillo on Green Light with Chris Long.
Altman said that the Cavs are “going to have to change that narrative” in the trade market this season. Allen and Mobley contracts together come upto about $315 million. And this just shows the severity of the decision. Not only will it have an impact on the pitch, but it’ll change a lot for their trade targets this season.
Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Cavaliers will be something straight out of a movie. And watching him battle against Milwaukee next season will be box office. But before they can day dream about the Greek, they have to deal with their center position. Do you see Mobley or Allen on the way out this season?
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