If Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn't request a trade this summer, opposing teams' interest in Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown could skyrocket. After the Bucks' season ended in the first round of the playoffs (again), ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported that Antetokounmpo is considering leaving Milwaukee for the first time in his career.
Antetokounmpo hasn't decided his future yet, but if he stays with the Bucks, attention will shift to other potential trade targets. Kevin Durant is at the top of that list, as it's a foregone conclusion that he's played his final game with the Suns. Brown hasn't requested a trade from Boston — nor has he come anywhere close to doing so — but that doesn't mean teams won't call the Celtics.
Except for the Pacers, Knicks, and Cavaliers, the East will be wide open next year. Boston will be without Jayson Tatum for the majority of the season (if not all of it), weakening the NBA's inferior conference. Meanwhile, the West will be even better, with the Mavericks and Spurs possessing the top two picks in this month's draft.
Teams in the East could inquire about the Celtics' willingness to part ways with Brown to make a deep playoff run. Teams in the West could do the same, trying to secure a playoff berth in a stacked conference. Or, there could be a team with the assets (like the Spurs) to go all-in on a trade for Brown.
Yahoo Sports' Bill Simmons, a Celtics fan, discussed the possibility of Boston "blowing it up" by making multiple trades, including one involving Brown if Giannis stays put in Wisconsin.
Giannis staying with Bucks could shift attention to Jaylen Brown
Brown signed a five-year, $285.3 million contract in 2023 that goes through the 2028-29 season. His high salary could be enough to make the Celtics consider a trade, given Tatum's status. If there was ever a time to offload Brown's contract, it's now.
Last month, Charania said that teams across the NBA are preparing for the Celtics to make trades this summer, as Boston is projected to have over half a billion on next season's payroll. No team can escape the harsh penalties of the collective bargaining agreement.
If a team makes an offer that the Celtics can't ignore that includes something like the No. 2 pick, maybe Brown will be on the way out. Many Boston fans want to think that wouldn't happen, but as this past February proved, anything can happen in the NBA. Nothing will be more surprising than Dallas trading Luka Doncic late at night with no warning, not even a Brown trade.
Antetokounmpo's future concerns the Celtics for two apparent reasons: he's a top player in the East, and it could help determine Boston's offseason plans, which could mean trading the 2024 NBA Finals MVP.