The Boston Celtics have entered the offseason in a strange spot. On one hand, they exceeded expectations, as they were one of the top teams in the league last year, even with Jayson Tatum missing the majority of the campaign recovering from a torn Achilles tendon. On the other hand, the team threw away a 3-1 series lead in the first round of the playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers. As a result, this Celtics squad is going to be busy this offseason.
In the early going, that has led to quite a few trade rumors revolving around Jaylen Brown and Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Boston has emerged as a somewhat tepid suitor for Antetokounmpo over the past few weeks, but in the blink of an eye, its interest in him has ramped up. And according to one insider, the team is “all-in” on Antetokounmpo now that Brown is on the table.
Celtics Willing to Trade Jaylen Brown for Giannis Antetokounmpo
“If Giannis is traded in the next 24 which I think is a good chance of happening, I think it’s going to be Boston or Miami…. Jaylen Brown is on the table”
Like every other team in the NBA, the Celtics have had preliminary interest in Antetokounmpo over the past year or so as his relationship with the Bucks has taken a turn for the worse. While he only played in 36 games last season, Antetokounmpo was still one of the best players in the league when he found his way on the floor (27.6 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 5.4 APG, 62.4 FG%).
On the other end of these rumors is Brown, who is fresh off the best season of his career (28.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 5.1 APG, 47.7 FG%). With Tatum out, Brown stepped up and led the way on offense, seemingly solidifying his future with the team. However, questions about his fit alongside Tatum have reemerged after the C’s playoff collapse, and he’s made some questionable comments early on this offseason that have caught the attention of the organization.
At this point, Boston is battling the Miami Heat for Antetokounmpo, and if it wants to, it should be able to blow the Heat out of the water when it comes to its trade offer. That is largely contingent on Brown’s involvement in any potential trade, and while the Celtics have initially resisted moving on from him, NBA insider Brian Windhorst revealed the team’s train of thought has shifted.
“I was really skeptical that the Boston Celtics were gonna go all-in on this, but from what I understand, they have,” Windhorst said on “Get Up.” “The Celtics and the Heat are the two teams aggressively going after Giannis. I would say they are the finalists, and if Giannis is gonna be traded in the next 24 hours, which I think is a good chance of happening, I think it’s either gonna be to Boston or Miami … Jaylen Brown is on the table.”
Are the Celtics the Frontrunners for Giannis Antetokounmpo?
GettyMilwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo
It’s been really tough to get a grip on the Antetokounmpo trade talks because, in theory, the Celtics should be able to craft a better trade offer than the Heat. Despite that, reports continued to insist that Miami was the frontrunner to land Milwaukee’s franchise legend. Now that Brown is on the table, though, could that change things here?
Brown alone won’t be enough to land Antetokounmpo, but it gives the C’s a serious leg up on the Heat if they are willing to move on from him. And with the Bucks reportedly interested in keeping Brown (rather than sending him to a third team), it’s tough to see how Boston wouldn’t be the frontrunner if it is truly willing to get rid of one of its own franchise legends in exchange for “The Greek Freak.”
Celtics ‘All-In’ on Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade After Jaylen Brown Development