In an appearance on ESPN's "Get Up" on Tuesday, NBA insider Brian Windhorst reported that a trade market for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is non-existent.
"Right now, there is no Giannis Antetokounmpo trade market, there is no Giannis Antetokounmpo trade discussions," said Windhorst. "He has not asked for it. The Bucks are not looking to trade him."
Marc Stein of The Stein Line reports that the impact of Jayson Tatum's franchise-altering Achilles tear on an Eastern Conference now up for grabs is a significant part of Milwaukee's pitch for Antetokounmpo to stay.
"Word is that the Bucks are trying to build a good bit of their case for convincing Antetokounmpo to give them another shot to build a title team around him by loudly reminding him about the current state of the Eastern Conference."
Why Celtics fans should be happy about this intel
The price for Boston to acquire Antetokounmpo is Jaylen Brown. The franchise must also get under the second apron. That could happen by expanding a potential trade with Milwaukee or first making a separate deal.
In either case, the most likely scenario involves finding a team to offload Jrue Holiday or Kristaps Porzingis's salaries. Both are on the books for at least $30 million next season.
However, getting under the second apron is a prudent move, given the distinct possibility Tatum will miss the 2025-26 campaign. Trading Brown for Antetokounmpo would involve considerable risk.
While Windhorst previously cautioned against counting the Celtics out of a potential Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, the two-time league MVP is two years older than Brown. The former turns 31 in December. He and Tatum might not team up until Antetokounmpo's age-32 season.
While the Bucks' star forward finished third in the MVP voting in 2024-25 and remains, in this author's opinion, a top-three player, he's dealt with back and leg injuries, and there is a lot of mileage on his tires.
A blockbuster deal of this nature could prove Boston's best and most immediate path to Banner 19. However, it shrinks the Celtics' window of championship contention. And if Antetokounmpo or Tatum struggles to stay healthy, the move blows up in their face.
While it's easy to fantasize about a trade of this magnitude working out smoothly, opting for less stability and more pressure to win in the present, on the heels of Tatum tearing his Achilles, is a gamble best not made.