Immediately after the New York Knicks win the championship, the shift in focus to the offseason zooms into Giannis Antetokounmpo. The odds of the Greek Freak getting traded are overwhelming now, and the question is just where he will be traded.
The latest buzz still has Giannis staying in the East Coast, and the prospect of three-way trade emerges as the best case scenario, if not the only viable solution.
There are two top contenders for Giannis: the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat.
Boston Celtics Splitting their Duo?
Giannis is a superstar, franchise player and two-time MVP who led the Milwaukee Bucks to a championship. Despite recent debacles with injury, he is seen as a top 5 player in the league. He will not come cheap. Derrick White is not enough to be the centerpiece.
The only way for the Boston Celtics to even be in the conversation for the Greek Freak is to trade Jaylen Brown. The 2016 third overall pick had a career season, getting 2nd All NBA team honors. One big reason for that is the Jayson Tatum injury.
The JJ duo has gotten along fine, but now that Brown has had a taste of being the alpha dog, he may realize that being the first option is the natural next step in his career. Lately, Brown has unfollowed the Celtics social media pages, and has publicly criticized the franchise.
So, will the Milwaukee Bucks take the bait? Not necessarily. The Bucks want a full rebuild when they trade Giannis, so a 30-year old Brown may not fit their altered timeline.
Brown may be sent to a team like the Portland Trailblazers, a dark horse player in this saga because they control the Milwaukee Bucks’ draft picks. They may want that back for their long-term development.
Miami Heat Defensive Duo
The Miami Heat has less to offer, even if they are willing to trade anyone not named Bam Adebayo. Their foundation is Kalel Ware and Tyler Herro. Not really game changers, so the Heat have their work cut out for them.
If they do succeed, a duo of Bam and Giannis will be the best defensive frontcourt in the league. Sure, they would have to build a team around them, but if there’s one team which should not be doubted with team-building, it’s Heat Culture.
Rumors state that this is Giannis preferred destination, but his fate still depends on whether the Bucks will be pleased with the offer. So it’s likely to be Ware, Herro, possibly Jaime Jaquez or Nikola Jovic. One interesting point of contention is the Heat’s 13th overall pick this year.
Other Teams Involved
The race is not isolated, but these two teams have separated themselves in terms of interest and Giannis’ preference. That holds weight since Antetokounmpo has a player option after the 2027 season. If he says he won’t re-sign with a team that trades for him, they could hesitate in making a grand offer.
One team to keep an eye on is the LA Clippers. They have the 5th overall pick from the Indiana Pacers, and word is that they are willing to consider giving up on Kawhi Leonard. The Clippers role could vary, from being a possible Jaylen Brown landing spot, or Kawhi being the back up for the Heat in case they strike out on Giannis.
The Verdict
It seems like the stars have finally aligned for the Boston Celtics. They have the tools, but also the motivation, both good and bad.
On the good side, Giannis will finally give the Celtics the one thing they have lacked: frontline presence. However, they would have to break up their star duo that led them to one title and two Finals appearances in their nine years together.
But on the bad side, Brown is already upset, after years of being in trade rumors, this will be the last straw. It seems like the Celtics are just ironing out details of what assets they can acquire for Brown to include in the package for Giannis, but in principle, they are already deep in the process of acquiring the Greek Freak.
