The Boston Celtics could be a wild-card team to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. After Jaylen Brown gave some strange comments on Twitch following Boston’s postseason elimination, some in the media have theorized that he could want his own team.
Antetokounmpo has been viewed as a possible replacement. However, it’s unclear if the Celtics are willing to break up the current core. Boston won the championship in 2024 with the pairing of Brown and Jayson Tatum. Tatum’s injury prevented them from having a shot to win it last season and this year.
One Celtics insider believes that Brad Stevens would be hesitant to break up that duo, even for Antetokounmpo.
GettyBoston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown drives to the basket. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Celtics Insider Believes Brad Stevens Would Have a Hard Time Breaking up Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown
Jay King of The Athletic believes that, based on Stevens’ comments after the season, he would be hard-pressed to break up the magical duo.
“As enticing as an Antetokounmpo addition would be, Stevens didn’t sound ready to write off his current core. And he shouldn’t be quick to do so, either. Since Jayson Tatum’s rookie season, the Celtics have won more playoff games than any other organization,” King wrote.
King also believes that the younger core around those two players should significantly improve next season.
“Even if Stevens doesn’t oversee a major overhaul this summer, there’s plenty of reason to think the Celtics could improve significantly next season. Tatum will be further removed from his torn Achilles. Derrick White will have a summer to iron out his shooting issues. The promising young players, including Neemias Queta, Baylor Scheierman, and Hugo González, will all be one year older.”
Boston’s appetite for spending remains unclear with new owner Bill Chisholm. During the season, they slid under the luxury tax when they offloaded Anfernee Simons to Chicago. Now, the offseason will tell how Chisholm views the tax.
GettyBoston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown dribbles the ball. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Boston is Most Likely to Run it Back Next Season
While Stevens is not afraid to make bold trades, the most likely scenario for the Celtics is for them to run it back next season. With Tatum fully healthy, they should be a much better team. Payton Pritchard also proved to be a competent starting point guard.
The question will be whether Stevens decides to improve the frontcourt. Specifically, the center spot. Queta played solidly in some stretches before the playoffs, but he got exposed against the 76ers. They also don’t have a viable backup behind him at the moment, either.
There is a chance that Stevens decides to make some trades on the fringes to shore up those weak spots. That seems to be the most realistic option, as Stevens still really values Brown as a member of the organization and what he does for the city of Boston.
If an Antetokounmpo trade is made, it will happen before the NBA Draft.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Celtics Insider Gives Insight to Brad Stevens’ Feelings on Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade appeared first on HEAVY.