The rumors have been bubbling on the back-burner for weeks, though it all still feels like a longshot. The Boston Celtics are said to be interested in a potential trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, and after a disappointing playoff run ended with the team blowing a 3-1 first-round series lead against the Sixers, the expectation is that the interest could intensify. And more rumors coming to the fore about whether Jaylen Brown is happy with the Celtics has caused the speculation to truly blossom into open conversation.
Jaylen Brown for Giannis Antetokounmpo? That’s the trade rumor–which so far has only been stitched together with logic, not actual facts–that was making the rounds on all the sports-chatter shows on Wednesday.
And while we do not know whether such a deal would actually go down, we do have a pretty good idea about when it would go down. That’s because Bucks part-owner Jimmy Haslam addressed the topic on Wednesday and made it clear: Before the draft.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade to Happen by Draft
That’s straight from the horse’s mouth, or in this case, Haslam’s mouth. The Bucks, as part of a remake after firing former Celtics coach Doc Rivers, hired Taylor Jenkins as the new coach, and Haslam says they want to have a plan in place for the team they’re giving to Jenkins within the next eight weeks.
Said Haslam: “I just think before the draft is a natural time because, you know, if Giannis does play somewhere else, we ought to get a lot of assets, and that’s Jon (Horst)’s job to do. And if he is here then you build the team differently. So, I think that’s all I am gonna say. I just want to stress that our relationship with him despite what is reported by certain ESPN writers is very positive.
“It’s a big one, and you’ve got to get it right. Jon knows it and Wes (Edens) knows it. And we did not hold back with Taylor, we said to him straight up, he may or may not be with us, so don’t come because of that. You want to be straight up with people.”
GettyJaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics .
Celtics Would Have to Ship Out Jaylen Brown
Now, to be clear, if the Bucks make a trade with the Celtics, it is not likely to require much work from Horst. Maybe there would be some side pieces included, but the deal would almost have to be a straight Brown-for-Antetokounmpo swap. The Celtics would have a hard time putting together a package of players that would be attractive to the Bucks, beyond a starting point of Derrick White and Payton Pritchard.
Antetokounmpo has one year remaining on his contract, at $58 million, followed by a player option. Brown has three years and $180 million remaining, with $57 million due next year. The two, then, can just be swapped for each other. Both are eligible for contract extensions this summer.
If, indeed, the Celtics feel that Brown is no longer happy working as Option 1A behind Tatum, then the deal makes some sense. But it’s worth noting, too, that Antetokounmpo is 31 and has been plagued by injuries for three straight seasons–he would be a big gamble for Boston.
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