The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to move franchise cornerstone Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft, and the Celtics seem to be a frontrunner in the sweepstakes for the former 2x MVP and DPOY.
While fans have their concerns about trading for the 2021 champion, they should look further into the story around the Greek Freak.
Let’s dive into the Giannis storyline that really needs to die down so we can focus on the rest of the league.
Concerns: Injury Severity, Fit Questions
Credit: ClutchPointsThe main talking point among the anti-Giannis crowd is his complicated injury history, which does not lend itself well to going all-in on a championship run. He’s 31, coming off a couple of lower-body injuries that kept him out of the majority of this season. However, the last two seasons have arguably been more productive than his MVP seasons in 2019 and 2020. Also, the Bucks are trapped in a scandal concerning not letting Giannis play when he became healthy. This led to him missing more games, thus inflating the injury concern (which seems counterintuitive to a front office trying to trade him, but who knows).
Giannis has never played fewer than 60 games before this season, which leads me to believe this is an outlier. Celtics fans should be willing to take the risk to take on a top 5 player in the league when healthy.
Bye-Bye, Jaylen Brown
As for fit concerns, I am assuming a Jaylen Brown trade if we acquire Antetokounmpo. I’ve seen a package surrounding Derrick White who just won a 1st Team All-Defense, but coming off the season he had seems unrealistic. Even if it was White, Pritchard, Hauser, and a young wing (take your choice), as well as 3-4 FRPs, Milwaukee hangs up. There’s nothing there that moves the needle substantially by itself, no raw young talent that can develop in the oncoming years of misery in the Cream City.
Giannis demands help on defense at all times, as he is prolific around the rim and in space. The experiment with Damian Lillard infamously failed, but having a ball-dominant forward in Tatum will quell the issues spurred by the former duo. Tatum offers increased defensive and rebounding capabilities, and having two point-forwards seems versatile at a level I have not seen elsewhere in the NBA. Combine that with shooters around the perimeter and Queta taking another step to controlling the paint on offense, and you really can’t stop the interior attack of the Cs.
Defensively, the perimeter would be secured, and the forwards’ transition attack would be lethal. It’s a duo that, on paper, seems redundant but in reality, will play out wonderfully.
Trade Scenarios
I’m going to outline two packages (one directly with Milwaukee and another rerouting JB to Atlanta, a speculated homecoming for the Georgia native).
- Boston Receives: Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Milwaukee Receives: Jaylen Brown, 2027 1st Rd pick
This simple package is all that the Celtics should have to give up. JB’s value is at an all-time high and is one pick to kickstart the rebuild in Milwaukee. Two is too many.
- Boston Receives: Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Atlanta Receives: Jaylen Brown
- Milwaukee Receives: Jonathan Kuminga, Corey Kispert, Zacharie Risacher, Luka Garza, 3 FRPs
This gives Milwaukee some shots in the dark in Kuminga and Risacher, but also boosts the rebuild, along with more picks. They do not control their own, which makes it quite difficult, and they need to acquire some from other places.
Is It Going to Happen?
I hope so. I’m concerned about Jaylen’s recent behavior, and although I’m all for athletes speaking their minds, it reflects poorly on his view of the Celtics as an organization.
Giannis has stated he likes the team here and wants to stay in the East on a competitor.
If I were him, I’d start looking for homes in the Seaport.
