Should the Cleveland Cavaliers trade Evan Mobley to the Boston Celtics for Jaylen Brown?
According to Chris Mannix of NBC Sports Boston, the Boston Celtics are interested in trading Jaylen Brown to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Evan Mobley.
Brown will make $57,078,728 next season, while Mobley will make $50,105,628. Neither All-Star has a no-trade clause, so a blockbuster trade can happen without restrictions.
However, NBA analyst Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report believes the Cavaliers should avoid trading Mobley to the Celtics for Brown.
"And while it may be tempting to move the big man for a volume-scoring wing like Jaylen Brown, the Cavs would be wiser to hang onto the player with the most potential on the roster and give things another go with this core," Bailey wrote.
For the Cavaliers this past season, Mobley put up 18.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. He helped Cleveland reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2018, but the New York Knicks swept the Cavaliers. Mobley averaged 17.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game in the 2026 playoffs against the Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons and Knicks.
Mobley has been with the Cavaliers since 2021. He holds career averages of 16.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. The USC product won the 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Most people who cover the NBA expect the Cavaliers to run it back next season with Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Jarrett Allen. Whether that's the right decision or not is up for discussion.
It would be shocking to see the Cavaliers part ways with Mobley for Brown. After all, Cleveland was hesitant to trade Mobley for Giannis Antetokounmpo -- who got traded by the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat -- and Giannis is a superstar of the highest order. It wouldn't make sense to swap Mobley and Brown.
Barring a surprise turn of events, the Cavaliers will likely have the same starting lineup next season: Harden, Mitchell, Max Strus, Mobley and Allen.
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