The Boston Celtics are trying their best to land Giannis Antetokounmpo in a trade. They have been trying to bring him in to improve the team after blowing a 3-1 lead to the 76ers in the playoffs. With Antetokounmpo, Boston would have a top-five player in the league.
In order to land him, the Celtics would have to offer Jaylen Brown. He is the best trade asset that they have, and the Bucks likely won’t trade Antetokounmpo to Boston without him. That leaves Brown’s future with the team in flux over the next several hours.
According to one insider, Boston is not shopping Brown and will only trade him to one team.
Insider Claims Celtics Will Only Trade Jaylen Brown to Bucks
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Celtics are not shopping Brown. They would only trade him to the Bucks.
“To my knowledge, they’re not shopping Jaylen Brown…this is a very specific situation.”
Boston has to figure out if they want to keep Brown as part of their core moving forward, especially if they are not able to land Antetokounmpo. From multiple reports, it seems that the Celtics are finalists for him, along with the Miami Heat.
Brown seems to enjoy the fact that he could have his own team in the future. He is coming off his best season as a pro, which is why Milwaukee would want him in this trade. If this trade does happen, it would happen within the next 24 hours or so, right before the draft.
There’s a good chance that the Celtics would receive several calls about Brown if they are not able to trade him to the Bucks in an Antetokounmpo trade. Whether or not they seriously consider offers from other teams remains to be seen, but Charania doesn’t seem to believe that will happen.
Boston Has a Relationship to Repair if Antetokounmpo Doesn’t Arrive
If this trade with the Bucks doesn’t materialize, then the Celtics have to repair a relationship with Brown. This is the second time that he has been offered up in a trade in the last few years. That shows Brown that he might not be as wanted as he thought in Boston.
Boston has to figure out a way to make him feel wanted if he does end up returning. Winning a championship with him certainly helps that relationship stay intact. However, the Celtics would need to make sure that Brown understands why he was put on the table.
The Celtics will have a fully healthy Jayson Tatum next season, which should help their regular season standing. Still, they are more focused on playing better in the postseason. He will be fully healthy, which would help reduce the sting of not landing Antetokounmpo, if that happens.
Boston is going to be a team to watch as the NBA Draft nears. There are several intriguing storylines heading into the draft, and this should be the most eventful draft that the league has seen for quite a while. Boston is hoping it’s successful for them.
Insider Claims Celtics Will Only Trade Jaylen Brown to One Team