NBA Rumors: ‘Stunted’ Growth Has Star Bigs on Trade Wish Lists

Ask around in any major sport–it’s not just limited to the NBA rumor mill–and you’ll find there is a certain egotism that pervades among coaches and front offices. When it comes to players who have talent but have not quite exploited that talent to its fullest potential, there will be a widespread opinion that if only our staff got a hold of that player, if only I had the chance to motivate him, then he’d be the superstar he should be.

It’s a tempting trap, no doubt. And there happen to be two players who, lately, have been drawing the wandering eyes of NBA execs looking for that untapped potential: Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo and Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley.

They’re two similar players, too, two guys who have flashed stardom during the NBA careers but who have also plateaued at what many would say is too early a stage. And that’s got some around the NBA hopeful that maybe trade talks could be next on the docket.

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NBA Rumors: Big Guys Not Hitting Ceilings

It’s a longshot at this point, on both Adebayo and Mobley. In the pantheon of NBA rumors, Adebayo’s name has at least been broached in the past, but the Heat have never been serious about taking offers for him. Mobley has long been seen as a foundational part of the Cavaliers future, and they’ve not really been able to engage in meaningful trade talks about him because he was on his rookie scale contract.

That will change this summer. The Cavaliers can–and maybe will–engage on Mobley trade talks if the postseason is a flameout for the second straight year. The same might, finally, be true for Adebayo.

Both players are very good, but have never really ascended to the elite as was predicted for them. Mobley is averaging 17.7 points and 8.7 rebounds, shooting 51.6% and just 31.4% as he attempts to become a better perimeter shooter. He’s shown little significant improvement from his rookie year.

It’s the same for Adebayo–who is nine seasons into his career and averaging 18.5 points and 9.8 rebounds, shooting a career-low 44.7% as he, too, tries to increase his proficiency from the 3-point arc (33.9% on 4.9 attempts per game).

“That’s where there is some hope that maybe if you’re a team, you have a Mobley or Bam and they’re not getting better but you can still get a ton of assets back for them, you’ve got to do it,” one Eastern Conference GM said.

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Evan Mobley, Bam Adebayo Not Playing to Contracts

In past years, the motivation to trade Mobley or Adebayo would be limited. But with the current construction of the NBA’s more punitive luxury-tax system, teams like the Cavaliers and Heat need to consider that they’re paying top-of-the-market prices for players who are not at their potential.

Mobley is in the first year of a five-year, $270 million contract with the Cavs. Adebayo is starting a three-year, $166 million extension next season.

Both rank in the Top 20 in projected 2026-27 salary, but Adebayo is 18th in scoring among the 20 highest-paid players in the league. Mobley is 19th. (Paul George is No. 20).

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Luxury-Tax Aprons Could Drive NBA Rumors

Obviously, Mobley and Adebayo are both excellent defensive players, and that factors into their salaries. But more and more, teams do not have the luxury of paying superstar prices without getting superstar scoring.

“That’s the thing you run into,” the GM said. “The NBA is very top-heavy in how you build your team. It’s hard to build a roster where the top of the payroll is not a guy who is getting 25 points a game. A team like Cleveland, they’re in the apron, they can’t afford to stay there. If the season unravels for them a little here, they have some hard questions, and they’d have t consider (trading Mobley).

“Miami has had Bam a long time, he is Pat’s (Riley) guy, and Pat’s not going to trade him. He’s not going to want to. But they probably should have traded him a year ago. They’re both sort of stunted growth players.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney