Cleveland Cavaliers Made This Big Mistake at the NBA Trade Deadline

Well, the NBA Trade Deadline has come and gone.

And the Cleveland Cavaliers were actually pretty active.

The front office ended up trading away forward De'Andre Hunter and point guards Darius Garland and Lonzo Ball, while also moving on from three of the team's second-round picks. In return, the Cavaliers received guards James Harden, Dennis Schröder, Emmanuel Miller and Keon Ellis. The new-look Cavaliers have more guard depth, while also leaning into scoring, which has been an issue for the team at times in the 2025-26 campaign.

However, the Cavaliers did end up missing out on a league-changing acquisition that would've immediately thrust this team into title contention. That move was to trade for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was being shopped by the Milwaukee Bucks.

Throughout the entire season, Antetokounmpo had been reportedly unhappy with the organization and wanted to end up with a new team by the time the deadline came and went.

The Cavaliers had been rumored to be in discussion with the Bucks for the 2021 NBA champion, but a deal was never able to be done, an outcome that may end up being a huge mistake for both teams involved.

Why Cleveland Would Become Uninterested

One report that emerged which could've hindered the Cavaliers' interest in Antetokounmpo, could be that teams "felt his ego wouldn't allow him to be a second option behind their star player" information that emerged from Gery Woelfel.

An NBA team stopped pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo because they felt his ego wouldn’t allow him to be a second option behind their star player, per @GeryWoelfel pic.twitter.com/ObEZwaAFpB
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 5, 2026

In a deal with the Bucks, the Cavaliers would have to trade 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley, potentially other players and multiple draft picks. If that were the case, they'd be down to two players who would serve as realistic top offensive options: Harden and Donovan Mitchell. The report that Antetokounmpo would be unwilling to be a second option, let alone a third, would've immediately turned the Cavaliers away.

Harden, who they just brought in, is still currently performing at a high level, averaging over 20 points a game, while Mitchell's on pace to be in MVP conversations by the end of the season as he sits near 30 points.

Adding in Antetokounmpo would've caused the Cavaliers to suffer immediate on-court issues, including who's the primary ball handler, who's taking the game-winning shot and who's the leader of the team. This decision could've caused the locker room to split, and the already established guys on the roster to become frustrated.

In a season that's had plenty of ups and downs, that's the last thing the front office would want to have happen.

But should Cleveland have at least tried it?

Mobley's potentially at the height of his value. Following a DPOY honor last season, he's been just as consistent defensively, but offensively, he's been practically non-existent. He's averaging 17.9 points and 4.0 assists a game. For a player making over $60 million by the 2029-30 campaign, he's not playing up to his contractual worth.

Moving Mobley and other assets for Antetokounmpo would've given the Cavaliers a sure-fire talent they could rely on for the next few seasons.

Pairing him with Mitchell and Harden could've caused issues, but it also would've given the team enough talent to be feared by others across the league. Three players averaging over 20 points a game, all able to score at different levels, would've completely revitalized the offense. Antetokounmpo is posting 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists a game this season.

The concern now is that if the combination of Harden and Mitchell doesn't end up working out, players around the league will be unwilling to come to Cleveland this offseason. A trade for Antetokounmpo would've given the Cavaliers all the tools for success for this season and next, without the concern of a disastrous second half of this year damaging the team's reputation.

For now, though, the Cavaliers will have to hope that the moves they made at the deadline are enough to remain in contention for a top spot in the Eastern Conference. Then, this offseason, they can go out and add more talent to the roster to fully compete for a title in the 2026-27 campaign.