The Boston Celtics are being forced to pivot from Giannis Antetokounmpo after the Milwaukee Bucks passed on their offer in favor of making a deal with the Miami Heat. Now, the Celtics face two key questions as NBA free agency nears.
First, what do the Celtics do with Jaylen Brown, a player who Boston appeared ready to cut ties with in favor of Antetokounmpo? Boston could try to patch things up with Brown, but it may be challenging given the star has been the subject of ongoing NBA trade rumors.
Finally, with Antetokounmpo off the table, do the Celtics pivot to a trade for another star? Bleacher Report’s Mike Chiari put together a list of top potential replacement targets for the Celtics to explore.
The analyst floated Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis atop the list.
Let’s explore the latest Celtics rumors.
Celtics Rumors: Kings Star Domantas Sabonis Tabbed as a Replacement Trade Target for Giannis Antetokounmpo
Sabonis has an impressive resume as a 3-time All-Star and 2-time All-NBA player. Yet, Sabonis comes with a high price tag thanks to two seasons remaining on a four-year, $186 million contract.
“The 6’10” Sabonis also won three consecutive rebounding titles from 2023 to 2025, making him a perfect fit in Boston since Neemias Queta was the only pure center or power forward who averaged more than 6.6 rebounds per game for the Celtics last season,” Chiari wrote in a June 23, 2026, story titled, “Celtics’ Trade, NBA Free Agency Targets After Losing Giannis to Heat amid Jaylen Brown Rumors.”
“Sabonis is coming off an injury-plagued season that limited him to 19 games and saw him average his fewest points per game (15.8) since the 2018-19 campaign, but that could be a good thing for the Celtics in terms of suppressing his trade value to some degree.”
A ‘Bidding War’ Could Emerge in a Blockbuster Trade for Jaylen Brown
The Celtics may decide that trading Brown is inevitable after the failed Bucks deal. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst noted that a “bidding war” may now emerge as teams compete to land Brown via trade.
“And so now what I expect to happen is a bidding war for Jaylen Brown and other teams in the league,” Windhorst remarked in a June 23, edition of “Get Up.” “In the most recent days, teams have been preparing for this eventuality, that it wouldn’t be the Boston Celtics who won the Giannis sweepstakes, and that there would be a Jaylen Brown market. And so now we’re going to watch that.
“I think it’ll take some time to play out, but if there’s a draft pick involved, it could happen today. I don’t think that’s likely, but it could happen today.”
NBA Rumors: The Kings Are Expected to Explore Trade Offers for Domantas Sabonis
Whether or not the Celtics come calling, the Kings are expected to explore trades for Sabonis, per The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer. Sacramento may not mind shedding Sabonis’ $45.4 million cap hit for next season.
“The Kings’ former All-Star center is another name, behind Antetokounmpo and Memphis’ Ja Morant, that league executives are projecting to be made available once again as part of this summer’s trade landscape,” Fischer detailed in a June 6, story titled, “A weekend burst of NBA trade chatter.”
“Sacramento is known to be looking to shed some significant salary if it can this offseason and seems likely to field more interest in Sabonis than other veterans.”
$186 Million 3-Time All-Star Eyed as Celtics’ Replacement for Giannis Antetokounmpo