The Boston Celtics are one of the teams strongly linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks ahead of the NBA draft.
Antetokounmpo is widely expected to get traded very soon, with the Miami Heat being another team interested in acquiring the two-time NBA MVP.
According to ESPN’s Marc J. Spears, the Bucks are not interested in Jaylen Brown and would prefer to send him to a third team. The Heat might be in the driver’s seat in the Giannis sweepstakes, and it seems like the Celtics are not sweating if they miss out on The Greek Freak.
Boston Celtics Have Giannis Alternative
GettyBoston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens looks on prior to Game Two of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat at FTX Arena on May 19, 2022 in Miami, Florida.
If the Boston Celtics can’t acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, they already have a backup target in place.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that the Celtics would rather trade Jaylen Brown for Antetokounmpo in a one-for-one deal than attach multiple assets to the 29-year-old forward.
And if the Celtics miss out on Antetokounmpo, they already have an alternative in mind: Trey Murphy III of the New Orleans Pelicans.
“The Celtics’ desperation level simply isn’t at the level of the Heat’s,” Amick wrote. “By all accounts, Boston could forge ahead with the Brown-Jayson Tatum dynamic duo and look for other ways to upgrade the frontcourt. To that end, league sources say the Celtics are among the many teams with interest in the New Orleans Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III (if they don’t land Antetokounmpo).”
Murphy is coming off the best season of his career, averaging 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 66 games. The Pelicans are open to trading Murphy this offseason, but he’ll be a target for many contending teams.
Celtics Trey Murphy III Trade Idea
GettyTrey Murphy III #25 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts after scoring a three point basket during the first quarter of an NBA game against the Denver Nuggets at Smoothie King Center on January 13, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
ClutchPoints’ Enzo Flojo had a Trey Murphy III trade idea before he was officially linked to the Boston Celtics by Sam Amick. Flojo’s pitch was simple, which involves just one player and a future first-round pick.
Celtics receive: Trey Murphy III
Pelicans receive: Derrick White and a 2027 first-round pick
“The Pelicans continue searching for balance,” Flojo wrote. “Their roster has often struggled to establish a consistent hierarchy in the backcourt. Adding Derrick White could address several of those concerns immediately. He provides elite point-of-attack defense, floor spacing, and championship experience. That versatility makes him particularly attractive for a New Orleans team attempting to maximize its existing core.”
Flojo added that a first-round pick was just to sweeten the deal, especially for a Pelicans team with two young core players in Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen.
However, the Celtics are at a disadvantage following reports of the Pelicans wanting to enter the lottery of next week’s NBA draft, as per ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
Boston Celtics Have Giannis Antetokounmpo Alternative If Trade Doesn’t Happen