The Boston Celtics are reportedly in contention for the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade this offseason. While recent reports haven’t positioned them as concrete suitors, the franchise may make a move.
According to NBA reporter Evan Sidery, there is a potential three-team trade framework that would send the two-time MVP to Boston.
In the proposed trade, the Celtics would acquire Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner (via trade exception), while sending Jaylen Brown and Sam Hauser to the Atlanta Hawks.
The Bucks would receive the No. 8 overall pick from Atlanta, No. 27 overall pick from Boston, Dyson Daniels and Jonathan Kuminga from Atlanta, plus a future first-rounder from Boston.
This trade looks doable following the Bucks’ readiness to move on from Antetokounmpo and speculations that the Celtics might also move Brown.
How This Deal Could Work for the Celtics
GettyRecent reports believe the Boston Celtics are a team that Giannis Antetokounmpo could be traded to. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White are two potential trade prospects in a blockbuster deal.
For Boston to bring in both Antetokounmpo and Turner, it will need to clear significant cap space. The kind that involves Brown and Hauser moving while they also exercise their traded player exception.
Brown is a max earner and sending out his contract will relieve significant long-term salary pressure, just enough to accommodate Antetokounmpo. This has been the biggest hiccup for any superstar addition, the Celtics already have Brown and Jayson Tatum’s salary eating up a huge cap space.
The challenge with a trade involving Brown is the Celtics’ reluctance to move him. The franchise has always maintained a strong commitment to him hence keeping him locked in a supermax contract.
However, an opportunity may open for a trade and Boston will have to move one of the best players in the league for another. Antetokounmpo will join Tatum as the franchise’s new star duo.
For Turner, the Celtics have flexibility with their TPE sitting at around $27.7 million following their trade of Anfernee Simons at the deadline.
The Celtics don’t have the abundance of assets to engage in a direct deal with the Bucks. Brown would have been a good pitch salary-wise, however, Milwaukee wants an abundance of future draft assets and capital to move Antetokounmpo.
What This Jaylen Brown Deal Means for Boston
GettyJoe Mazzulla and Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics during an NBA game.
Antetokounmpo will open Boston’s win-now era, especially as he addresses the franchise’s need for stars who can attack the rim and bolster interior presence.
The Celtics will bid farewell to the Tatum-Brown duo. This has been their driving force for almost a decade and in 2024 they delivered the franchise its first championship since 2008. However, while they are still a solid core, results from the past couple of seasons don’t hint at being close to another title.
Antetokounmpo also delivered Milwaukee its first championship in 50 years. However, instead of building on that, the franchise has fallen below contention level ever since. He has reportedly grown frustrated and needs to compete for championships.
Antetokounmpo, 31, remains one of the elite players in the league. Despite a struggling season due to injuries, he averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game. He however, shot at a career-high 62.4% from the field.
The Celtics can make do with his contribution and have a better shot of competing for another championship in the coming seasons.
Celtics 3-Team Trade Idea Moves Jaylen Brown for $284 Million Superstar Duo