Cavs Have Shown No Interest In Trading Mobley For Giannis
After losing Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals to New York on Saturday, the Cavaliers are one game away from being eliminated from the playoffs and having to answer some difficult questions about their roster, which was the NBA’s most expensive in 2025/26.
Those questions will involve Donovan Mitchell, who will be extension-eligible this offseason as he enters the final guaranteed season of his current contract, and James Harden, who holds a player option for 2026/27 but is reportedly considered likely to negotiate a multiyear deal with Cleveland.
They’ll also likely involve the frontcourt duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, who will get more expensive than ever next season as Allen’s new three-year, $90MM+ extension takes effect. Mobley and Allen will earn a combined $78.1MM in ’26/27 and that figure will continue to increase over the following two years.
Could a Giannis Antetokounmpo pursuit be part of the Cavaliers’ offseason plans? Jake Fischer reported earlier this month that people around the league viewed Cleveland as a possible landing spot for the Bucks star if the Cavs experienced a disappointing playoff run.
According to Fischer, when the Cavs and Bucks talked about Antetokounmpo prior to February’s trade deadline, Milwaukee asked for Mobley and all of Cleveland’s available draft capital. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, meanwhile, previously reported that when the Bucks discussed Giannis at the deadline, they were more interested in packages that would net them a young cornerstone like Mobley than ones heavy on draft picks.
However, two league sources tell Joe Vardon of The Athletic that the Cavaliers have conveyed no interest to this point in a trade involving Mobley and Antetokounmpo.
While Mobley still hasn’t shown he’s capable of consistently providing the sort of elite offensive production that made Antetokounmpo a two-time MVP, the Cavaliers big man is a former Defensive Player of the Year who is nearly seven years younger than Giannis and has a slightly more team-friendly cap hit. He’s also under contract through 2030, whereas Antetokounmpo could opt for free agency as soon as 2027.
Still, given the Cavaliers’ position relative to the tax and aprons, it will be extremely difficult for the club to make meaningful upgrades this summer without a move that involves at least one of their four highest-paid players (Mobley, Mitchell, Harden, and Allen). And unless they’re able to achieve a feat that no team in NBA history has accomplished by coming back from a 3-0 deficit, they’ll fall short of the NBA Finals, which would signal that upgrades are necessary to seriously contend for a championship.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the Cavs will rethink their stance on trading Mobley for Antetokounmpo in the coming weeks, but it could make them even more open to major roster changes than they were at the deadline, when they swapped Darius Garland for Harden.
Southeast Notes: JVG, Magic, Peterson, Wizards, Hawks
After Jake Fischer and Marc Stein previously reported that Jeff Van Gundy is among the head coaching candidates on the Magic‘s radar, Stein confirms that the Clippers assistant has interviewed for the Orlando job (Substack link).
There hasn’t been a ton of chatter about the Magic’s head coaching vacancy so far, which could mean the team is still early in its search process or that it’s just keeping things close to the vest. Former Bulls coach Billy Donovan has been identified as a potential frontrunner and Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney is considered likely to interview, but those two and Van Gundy are the only candidates that have been legitimately connected to the position.
There had been speculation that former Lakers coach Darvin Ham could emerge as an option for the Magic, but a Saturday report indicated that he’ll be remaining with the Bucks as an assistant under new head coach Taylor Jenkins.
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- While hiring a new head coach is the first item on the Magic‘s offseason to-do list, it will be a busy summer in Orlando, where the club will have to determine how to manage an increasingly expensive roster, writes Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link). Gozlan explores the Magic’s potential paths to cap relief using Jonathan Isaac and his partially guaranteed contract and considers other ways the team might shed salary while also examining how a rookie scale extension for Anthony Black would impact the club’s financial situation going forward.
- AJ Dybantsa is widely viewed as the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in next month’s draft, but Kansas guard Darryn Peterson is also a legitimate contender. With that in mind, Chase Hughes of the Monumental Sports Network evaluates Peterson’s potential fit with the Wizards, exploring whether he’s more of a point guard or shooting guard and considering whether it even matters.
- As discouraging as it was at the time, the beat-down that the Hawks received at the hands of New York during the last three games of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, when they were outscored by 32 points per contest, doesn’t look as bad as it once did, writes Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscription required). The Knicks have gone 7-0 since that series and their only two losses of the playoffs came against Atlanta. The Hawks still have plenty of work to do on their roster, Williams acknowledges, but they might not be quite as far away from contention as that first-round loss made it seem.
Heat Notes: Adebayo, Ware, Ellington
Heat big man Bam Adebayo has been named the NBA’s Social Justice Champion for the 2025/26 season and will receive the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar trophy, the league announced on Friday evening.
Adebayo, who was also named to the All-Defensive second team on Friday, was one of five finalists for the Social Justice Champion award, which recognizes a player who promotes social justice and advances Abdul-Jabbar’s mission to “engage, empower and drive equality for communities that have been historically disadvantaged and under-resourced.” It includes a $100K charitable donation, which will go to the Bam, Books & Brotherhood Foundation.
“I accept this award not just for myself, but for every voice that has gone unheard and every person working behind the scenes to create a more just and compassionate world,” Adebayo said in a statement put out by the Heat.
We have more on the Heat:
- Adebayo was named to the All-Defensive second team for four straight years from 2020-23 and made the first team in 2024 before being shut out in 2025. He was happy to be recognized again this spring, as Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel relays (subscription required). “It’s great to be back on the list, obviously,” Adebayo said. “You know, I feel like I do first-team things every year, but we can take what we can get. Good to be back. I feel like I got snubbed a couple times. But, like I said, it’s good to be recognized for all the hard work that I put in.” Head coach Erik Spoelstra referred to Adebayo as a “unicorn” who can defend “any scheme in this league” and switch onto any position from one through five.
- Asked about Kel’el Ware‘s long-term upside, one scout who spoke to Winderman (subscription required) offered veterans like Brook Lopez, Myles Turner, and Kristaps Porzingis as comparables, referring to the young center as a possible future All-Star. “What Ware has on all of (those veterans) is his athleticism,” the scout said. “But skill-wise, of what those players can contribute nightly, there are similarities. Ware also is a lob threat, which is similar to Porzingis.” While the Heat won’t be actively looking to move Ware this offseason, the 22-year-old isn’t expected to be off-limits in an offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Winderman adds.
- Former NBA sharpshooter Wayne Ellington, currently an assistant Spoelstra’s staff, will coach the Heat’s Summer League team this July, tweets Winderman. Ellington has been a player development coach in Miami since 2023.
- In case you missed it, the Heat granted the Bulls permission to interview veteran assistant Chris Quinn for their head coaching vacancy.
Pacific Notes: Pelinka, Kings Workouts, Suns Workouts, Butler
The playoff sweep by Oklahoma City convinced the Lakers that they need to add more talent and depth to their roster, Benjamin Royer of The Orange County Register writes in a subscriber-only piece. General manager Rob Pelinka was especially struck by the development of Ajay Mitchell, a second-round pick in 2024 who started his career on a two-way contract and averaged 22.5 PPG in the series against L.A.
“There’s ways to add to your roster if you commit to doing the hard work and commit to the process of adding the right pieces,” Pelinka said at his end-of-season press conference last week. “We’ll be doing that through the draft and free agency and through trades. We’ve got to find a way to have a roster that will compete with any team in the NBA.”
Pelinka added that the Lakers, who hold the 25th pick this year, plan to bring in more than 20 players for pre-draft workouts with an emphasis on finding more depth, athleticism and youth. He stated that competitiveness and basketball IQ will also be prioritized, noting that player development has become more important than ever with the current salary structure.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Kings were focused on their second-round picks at No. 34 and 45 when they held their first pre-draft workout on Friday, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (subscription required). Taking part were Houston shooting guard Emanuel Sharp, Duke center Maliq Brown, Auburn power forward Keyshawn Hall, Louisville shooting guard Isaac McKneely, Grand Canyon small forward Jaden Henley and Xavier power forward Tre Carroll, who are all projected to be taken the second round or go undrafted. Sharp talked to reporters about what he can offer an NBA team (Twitter video link from Michelle Dapper of KCRA).
- Florida State point guard Robert McCray has worked out for the Suns, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). Louisville guard Ryan Conwell and St. John’s forward Bryce Hopkins are scheduled to visit Phoenix next week, Gambadoro adds (Twitter link).
- The Warriors‘ Jimmy Butler may not return to the court until after mid-season, but he was able to entertain at the BottleRock Napa Valley Music Festival on Friday (Instagram video), relays Kalan Hooks of ESPN. Butler, who underwent ACL reconstruction surgery in February, performed a few songs while jumping around the stage. “Don’t show this to (coach) Steve (Kerr); I got a torn ACL,” he told the crowd.
Southwest Notes: Coward, Mosley, M. Brown, Mavericks
Cedric Coward was among the biggest surprises in a talented rookie class, earning First-Team All-Rookie honors after being selected with the 11th pick in last year’s draft. In an interview with Mark Medina of R.org, the Grizzlies forward spoke about the constant need to improve, which is why he’ll be returning to the Las Vegas Summer League in July.
“One, I want to keep growing my game,” Coward said. “Two, I want to let the team know that no matter what I got to do, whether it’s play in Summer League or in training camp, I’m going to be there to do it. It’s something that they wanted me to do. It’s something that I didn’t have any problem doing. For me, it allows me to maximize my game, too, and work on things that I didn’t do as much this past season. I’ve been working on that this summer. Also, I’m trying to win. It’s the competitiveness.”
Coward addresses several topics in the interview, including his encounters with veterans on other teams, the recent death of teammate Brandon Clarke and the public perception of Ja Morant. Coward calls Morant “one of the best people that I know personally” and says he provided a lot of help with making the adjustment to the NBA.
“He showed me different things in the game that I can take advantage of that can help him,” Coward said. “He provides the most gravity on the court when he’s playing. So for me, it’s about being in the right spots offensively and defensively. I remember one day, I grabbed the ball and they took it out and passed to me. I looked for him. He came up to me and said, ‘Why don’t you dribble the ball up?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, I got you.’ It’s certain things like that where he’s making sure he can make the game easier on both of us. At the end of the day, if we’re successful, then we can help the team be successful. Then if the team is successful, we win games.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- In becoming the Pelicans‘ new head coach, Jamahl Mosley accepted the same challenge he took on five years ago in Orlando, Rod Walker of NOLA writes in a subscriber-only piece. The Magic were coming off a 21-win season when they hired Mosley, and he built them into a consistent playoff team by placing a strong emphasis on defense. New Orleans has won 21 and 26 games the past two years and is hoping for the same type of transformation.
- Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. has a combination of size and talent that appeals to new team president Masai Ujiri, making him a possibility when the Mavericks pick at No. 9, suggests James Piercey of Dallas Hoops Journal (subscription required). Piercey notes that Ujiri has emphasized length and defense with his previous teams, sparking speculation about Brown, who is 6’5″ with a 6’7.5″ wingspan.
- Christian Clark of The Athletic looks at five potential candidates in the Mavericks‘ coaching search, starting with Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney. Considered one of the NBA’s top assistants, Sweeney spent four years on Jason Kidd‘s staff in Dallas before leaving for San Antonio last summer. Clark also examines the cases for Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Duke head coach John Scheyer, Trail Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter and South Carolina women’s coach Dawn Staley.
Knicks Notes: Robinson, Towns, Bridges, Pre-Draft Workout
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson announced Saturday that he’ll be staying away from social media due to concerns about his mental health, writes Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. Robinson informed his followers on Snapchat a few hours before the start of Game 3.
“I’m deleting all apps for a little while until I can get back to myself,” he wrote. “I had a very upsetting experience a few days ago. I’m not gonna go into detail about it, just gonna focus on the playoffs and myself. I know some of you have called and texted and it popped up green. That’s because I got a new [phone] number. My mental health is not the best right now but I am fighting to get back on track while playing on the biggest stage in the world in the Eastern Conference finals.”
Schwartz states that Robinson went public regarding his mental health issues after being ejected from Game 6 of the first-round series against Atlanta for fighting with Dyson Daniels. Robinson posted on Facebook that he was “just lost in the world at the moment,” and he sent out another Facebook message on Thursday saying he would be deleting all his social media accounts.
“Last post before I delete this app,” Robinson wrote. “I finally have changed my number for many reason [sic]…as I fight through and keep fighting in this playoffs run my focus have to go to another level. This is the start of a new chapter in my life. Love and will miss y’all…. Mitch out.”
There’s more on the Knicks:
- LeBron James has been impressed by New York’s recent run of playoff dominance, Schwartz adds in another story. Speaking on his Mind the Game podcast (Twitter link), the Lakers star raved about the Knicks’ newfound versatility on offense. “The defense can’t just key on a couple of actions anymore. I thought over the last couple of years with New York, you kind of got a good rhythm of how they were gonna play. The ball was gonna end up in a certain way every single time,” James said, referring to heavy reliance on Jalen Brunson isolations and pick-and rolls. James explained that running the offense through Karl-Anthony Towns has opened up opportunities for everyone on the court.
- Cleveland has adjusted to limit the effectiveness of Towns’ passing, but the Knicks have found other ways to win and that versatility could lead to a championship, Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News suggests in a subscriber-only story. Brunson carried the scoring load with 38 points in Game 1, and Josh Hart launched a three-point barrage in Game 2. “That’s the blessing of our group,” Towns said after Saturday’s shootaround. “We have multiple ways and systems that we can utilize to help us get the win. I’ve been happy because we’ve continued to win.”
- Prior to Game 3, coach Mike Brown talked to reporters about Mikal Bridges‘ value, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). “It starts with (owner) Mr. (James) Dolan because he’s willing to spend money,” Brown said. “… From there you talk about (team president) Leon Rose and his group, they identified Mikal as a two-way player and they went and got him.”
- Miami’s Tre Donaldson is the latest draft prospect to work out for the Knicks, Begley adds (Twitter link). The senior guard averaged 16.4 points and 5.7 assists per game for the Hurricanes this season.
Cavaliers Notes: Mitchell, Mobley, Allen, Wade
Returning home with a 2-0 deficit for the second straight series, the Cavaliers plan to lean heavily on Donovan Mitchell in Saturday’s Game 3, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. The star guard issued a calming message after his team lost by 16 points in Game 2.
“I’m not sitting here like, oh man, scrambling and trying to figure things out,” Mitchell said. “At the end of the day, we make some shots, we’ll be in good shape. … We’ll make our adjustments. We’ll be at home and protect home court.”
Collier notes that Mitchell already rescued the Cavs’ season in January when they got off to a disappointing 17-16 start after posting the best record in the East last year. Mitchell’s usage rate increased as he took on an expanded role in the offense, and he provided a source of encouragement in the locker room by expressing belief in his teammates.
“He’s our vocal leader. He’s our leader in general,” Dean Wade said. “We go as he goes. When we were having a little rough parts of the season, he was just monumental. He just kept us together, didn’t let us split at all, kept everything positive.”
There’s more from Cleveland:
- Meeting with reporters before Game 3, coach Kenny Atkinson dispelled rumors that Mitchell is dealing with an injury, relays Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link). “Normal bumps and bruises, nothing you’re like ‘oh man,'” Atkinson said. “That’s his feedback, knows his body better than anybody else. ‘I’m fine, coach.’ … guys are going to be banged up. That’s part of it.”
- The Cavaliers will need more scoring from Evan Mobley, who didn’t take a single shot in the second half of Thursday’s game, per Joe Reedy of The Associated Press. Center Jarrett Allen, who had 13 points in the loss, agrees with Atkinson’s assessment that the team needs better execution on its pick-and-rolls. “Sometimes I feel like we can just go set the pick, stop waiting for a play, stop waiting for somebody to call us up, and just run the offense from ourselves, not necessarily taking the ball and bringing it up the court, but initiating the offense by just going and setting a screen out of the blue,” Allen said.
- Atkinson and Mitchell both said the team had the right “process” for Game 2, even though it didn’t result in a victory, according to Ryan Lewis of The Akron Beacon Journal. The Cavs were betrayed by their shooting as they connected at just 38.8% from the field and 25.7% from three-point range. “I thought we had a lot of good looks, a lot of good looks from three, good looks at the rim — I thought our process was right,” Atkinson said. “[We] took care of the ball, offensive rebounded. I think it wasn’t a great shooting night. At the end of the day, you got to put the ball in the hole.”
- Atkinson decided to keep his starting lineup intact instead of replacing Wade, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).
Calf Strain To Sideline Ajay Mitchell For Game 4
Ajay Mitchell will miss Sunday’s Game 4 of the Western Conference finals with a strained right calf, the Thunder disclosed in their official injury report.
Mitchell played nearly 17 minutes on Friday before leaving the game after a hard collision in the third quarter. He was called for a flagrant foul after stopping San Antonio’s Stephon Castle from getting a breakaway layup, which led to a brief scuffle between the teams (Twitter video link).
It’s not clear if the calf strain occurred on that play, but Mitchell was limping as he left the bench area and headed toward the locker room, according to Jenni Carlson and Jeff Patterson of The Oklahoman.
Mitchell, who started the game in place of the injured Jalen Williams, finished with two points, five rebounds and an assist. Williams is listed as questionable for Sunday with left hamstring soreness, and coach Mark Daigneault didn’t provide much information on either player when speaking to reporters earlier on Saturday, according to Clemente Almanza of OKC Thunder Wire.
“No update on either guy. I don’t even know, to be point honest,” Daigneault said. “Well, I know, but I’m not giving an update on it. It’ll be a listing tonight.”
Cason Wallace is likely to move into the starting lineup if Williams remains out, according to Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman.
Mitchell also had an injury scare late in Game 2 that caused him to receive medical treatment on the bench. He told reporters after that game that he got hit in the thigh and didn’t expect any further problems.
The Spurs aren’t listing any injuries for Sunday, with coach Mitch Johnson saying earlier today that De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper are both expected to play.
Celtics Notes: Thomas, White, Wing Depth, Giannis
Isaiah Thomas hopes his decision to become a scout with the Celtics will lead to bigger things in his post-playing career, Khari Thompson of The Boston Globe writes in a subscriber-only story. Speaking on his “Point Game” podcast, Thomas revealed that discussions regarding the scouting position have been “in the works for a while.”
“It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, be a part of an organization, be a part of the front office and help make these decisions that are being made down the line,” he said. “So this is a step in the right direction in terms of, you know, hopefully one day being a GM or head of basketball operations or whatever the game of basketball takes me.”
Thomas, who will be based in his hometown of Seattle, has already begun working, and his first duties included representing the Celtics at last week’s draft combine in Chicago. He took part in some player interviews and said the prospects were comfortable with him because they’re familiar with his playing career.
“To go through that process as a player is hectic,” he said. “You’re a little nervous. You know that they know a lot, but you don’t know what they’re going to ask. So, being in that space as obviously not like a player, and being able to ask questions and really relate to these kids because they know me. They don’t always know anybody in the front office, like they know the face of the organization but they don’t know everybody else that is involved in the front office. So, it’s easy for me. I’m able to chop it up with these guys because I can relate to them. Obviously I’m a lot older than them, but I’m still a part of the game.”
There’s more from Boston:
- Derrick White‘s selection for First Team All-Defensive honors marked the first time in his career he has received that recognition, notes Brian Robb of MassLive. White, who was the only guard named to the First Team, was a Second Team selection in 2023 and 2024.
- The Celtics have a surplus of wing depth now that Jayson Tatum is healthy, which may lead to an offseason trade, Robb states in a mailbag column. He explores the pros and cons of parting with Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez or Jordan Walsh.
- Chad Finn of The Boston Globe (subscription required) makes the case for sending out Jaylen Brown in a deal to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Bucks. He argues that a “big swing” is necessary to get the Celtics back into title contention and that Antetokounmpo would represent an upgrade over Brown.
Spurs Notes: Guard Health, Wembanyama, Fouls, Game 4
The Spurs are attempting the difficult feat of beating the reigning champions while their primary and secondary point guards are battling through leg injuries. The good news is that both Fox and Harper are expected to be available to play in Game 4 on Sunday, per head coach Mitch Johnson (Twitter link via ESPN’s Tim McMahon).
De’Aaron Fox returned from his high ankle sprain for Game 3 but clearly wasn’t moving as well as usual, writes Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. Dylan Harper, who injured his adductor in the third quarter of Game 2, seemed similarly limited, finishing Game 3 with just six points on seven shots, far less than the 15.5 PPG he’d been averaging in his previous 11 outings.
To make matters worse, Fox came up hobbling in the third quarter after Luguentz Dort fell onto his ankle while diving for a loose ball. He was able to finish the game despite the scare.
“Once the pain subsides for a little bit, I felt like I was fine,” he said. “I was able to move a little bit, so I wanted to still be out there.”
We have more notes from the Spurs:
- Victor Wembanyama is challenging conventional wisdom about how experience trumps young talent in the postseason, writes ESPN’s Ben Golliver. At just 22 years old, Wembanyama has been perhaps the best all-around player in the 2026 playoffs. However, he knows there’s more he can do to get the Spurs back on track after losing back-to-back games to the Thunder, their first consecutive losses since January. He says it starts with him being a better team player, Michael C. Wright writes for ESPN. “I feel like I’m having trouble making my teammates better right now,” Wembanyama said. “My shooting splits aren’t terrible. I need to be more of a team player, facilitate better, rebound the ball better, push their defense a little bit further and see how much they need to help with my teammates and [then] feed them.“
- One area of the game that Johnson is focused on improving is keeping the Thunder off the free throw line, which hurt San Antonio in Game 3, Orsborn writes. Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge with 12 free throw attempts, and Johnson was unhappy with how many of those were self-inflicted. “I think probably half of them were from us being undisciplined first off the floor,” the Spurs coach said. “He got us out of position and took advantage of it. I can’t remember how he got all 12 free throws, but I know a few of them were pretty good defense it felt like up until that point.“
- Wembanyama believes Game 4 will be a good measuring stick game, both for himself and the team, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. The Defensive Player of the Year noted that this series is a new experience for most of the players on the roster and that everyone can be better. “It was the first playoffs for many of us,” he said. “Of course, there was going to be hard trials. It is to be expected. But now, we’re going to see what we’re made of.” Johnson noted that the team has to adjust its offensive approach, since it spent the season having Harper, Fox, and Stephon Castle attack the advantages drawn by Wembanyama’s presence, a playing style that’s difficult to maintain with two of the three guards banged up, per Jeff McDonald of the Express-News (via Twitter).