Shockwaves in the NBA: Are the Sixers Blocking a Blockbuster Antetokounmpo-for-Mobley Swap?

The NBA offseason is already stirring the pot as we inch closer to the 2025 Draft — just over a month away — and the rumor mill is spinning faster than ever. From blockbuster swaps that sound crazy on paper to the realities pulling front office strings behind the scenes, the chatter is impossible to ignore. Whether it’s whispers of a Giannis Antetokounmpo-Evan Mobley trade that might actually have some legs, or the Philadelphia 76ers digging in their heels to keep Paul George despite all the talk, the landscape of the league could be on the brink of fascinating twists. And that’s just scratching the surface: the Celtics juggling Jrue Holiday’s hefty contract, the Lakers eyeing Atlanta’s Onyeka Okongwu, Warriors’ complex moves around Jonathan Kuminga, and the Suns’ relentless pursuit of size down low — every franchise is playing chess while the draft clock ticks. Hang tight because the unfolding drama promises to reshape rosters and raise eyebrows everywhere.

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It’s also possible the Warriors do keep Kuminga. It’s not an ideal fit with him, Butler and Draymond Green overlapping with where they want to be on the court, but if Kuminga returns Kerr said he would play him a lot to start the season to see if he can make this work (or, at least, to hopefully drive up Kuminga’s trade value heading toward next February’s trade deadline).

Antetokounmpo for Mobley trade?

The Celtics will likely have to attach draft compensation to Holiday to get a team to take up that much money, something Jake Fischer discussed at The Stein Line. If we’re talking first-round pick, the Celtics would have to move this year’s pick (No. 28), or the 2026 or 2027 picks, because beyond that they are tied up (they could trade a 2030 pick swap). Considering the potential impacts of the Tatum injury on next season, no way they should trade the 2026 pick.“I do know the Lakers made a call to the Hawks around the trade deadline about Okongwu. I think lob threat, athleticism, absolutely. In terms of being a perfect fit, maybe not. They might not get a perfect fit though. Clint Capela of’ 17-’18 might have been a perfect fit but we’re in’ 25-’26 now.”

As a GM, if you’re looking to trade someone, you want to gain leverage by pumping up their trade value. That is part of what is going on here. Dunleavy has to make it seem like he might keep Kuminga, or he has no leverage.With the 2025 NBA Draft just a little more than a month away, trade rumors are heating up around the league. Here are some worth noting.

76ers likely to keep Paul George

When Bill Simmons floated the idea on his podcast of a Giannis Antetokounmpo for Evan Mobley trade, it seemed like the kind of out-of-left-field, fun to think about with no basis in reality idea that Simmons tends to discuss. When a team can’t make a trade even if it wanted to, a great fallback PR position is “we never wanted to trade him.”
Meet the Philadelphia 76ers. There has been a lot of speculation about Philly trying to package Paul George and the No. 3 pick in the draft this year to get a star (Antetokounmpo among others gets mentioned). That was never based in reality. George, 35 and coming off an injury-filled season that limited him to 41 games, has one of the most unmovable contracts in the NBA: Three years and 2 million remaining. The Sixers can’t trade him, so they will spin it as if they never wanted to trade him anyway. Here is what Jake Fischer reported at The Stein Line.Also of note, McMenamin is of the mind the Lakers will try to get a player with the taxpayer midlevel exception — .7 million — rather than trade for someone like Nic Claxton, who would be the better player but has three years and million remaining on his contract and would cost their lone first-round pick in a trade.

Holiday trade may cost Celtics pick

“Recent reports suggesting that the Sixers will be looking to explore George’s trade market in conjunction with the draft are a misread. There have been no indications that they are looking to package George with the No. 3 pick or try to move him on his own.”A Giannis-for-Mobley swap (something @BillSimmons talked about recently) comes up in conversations with agents/NBA front office types. Who says no? Big swing by Cleveland to maximize Mitchell/Garland. Bucks get a franchise big under a long-term deal. Intriguing.

Lakers called Hawks about Okongwu

First, Phoenix has bigger things to deal with, such as Kevin Durant’s and Bradley Beal’s futures, plus getting under the second tax apron. While there are centers available — a free agent such as Clint Capela, or players who could be gotten via trade such as Nic Claxton or Daniel Gafford — how the Suns make that work with everything else going on is a high-wire circus act.Except, that’s not what Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said at his end-of-season press conference (via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN).Let’s pump the brakes here. First, the Bucks aren’t trading Antetokounmpo unless he demands it, and that has yet to happen (the sides were supposed to meet and talk about the future this week). If Antetokounmpo did ask for a trade, he has some leverage on where to go and Cleveland may not be his preferred destination (although, if winning is his top priority, staying in the East is a much easier path and the Cavs are stacked). Finally, even after July 1, when Mobley’s supermax extension kicks in, these two can’t be traded straight up, and Cleveland will have to put another young player and some picks in the deal to make it something the Bucks would even consider.

Warriors “very interested” in re-signing Kuminga

Fischer did have one far more interesting note: Philadelphia is likelier to trade down than out of the draft. If a rebuilding team disappointed in the NBA Draft Lottery results (hello, Utah and Washington) wanted to move up, the 76ers would be happy to talk. It’s a long shot, but it’s easy to see how those conversations would at least start.The expectation in league circles is the Warriors are going to look for a sign-and-trade to get Jonathan Kuminga out of Steve Kerr’s doghouse and into a better spot, and to bring back better-fitting win-now talent to help Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Golden State contend next season.I’m not sure people get how good Mobley is and will be. There’s no dollar-for-dollar value for Giannis but Mobley is 23, the reigning DPOY with a rapidly improving offensive game. Few years, he could be an MVP candidate. Wrote about him here https://t.co/W8JGskfEZBLos Angeles needs a rim-protecting, vertical spacing center this summer. One name linked to them is Clint Capela, the Atlanta Hawks big man who is a free agent this summer and would be a solid, if uninspiring, addition. Atlanta is willing to let him walk because they have a better, younger center behind him in Onyeka Okongwu. At the trade deadline, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka called the Hawks and tried to kick the tires on an Okongwu trade, something ESPN’s Dave McMenamin discussed on the “Straight Fire” with Jason McIntyre podcast (hat tip Lakers Nation).Except, is there a little more to it than that?Just don’t be shocked if the Suns go after a big this summer.

Suns seek center this summer

Phoenix had DeAndre Ayton, then they moved on to Jusuf Nurkic, then at the deadline traded him to Charlotte for Nick Richards to be their new center.As has been reported here and elsewhere, the Celtics are expected to trade one of their key rotational guards this summer in an effort to get below the second tax apron. In the wake of the Jayson Tatum ruptured Achilles, the guard expected to be on the move is Jrue Holiday, who is age 35 next season and has three years, 4 million remaining on his contract.It’s highly unlikely, but maybe the idea isn’t as ridiculous as it first sounded.A sign-and-trade this summer is still the most likely outcome.