The Boston Celtics want Giannis Antetokounmpo. What they don't want, it turns out, is to give up Jaylen Brown to get him — and that reluctance is shaping one of the most-watched negotiations of the offseason as the June 23 draft approaches.
Bill Simmons of The Ringer reported that the Celtics have already put a formal offer on the table for the two-time MVP, confirming Boston is more than a background name in a sweepstakes that has narrowed to two genuine suitors: the Celtics and the Miami Heat.
The complication is the price. Boston Globe insider Gary Washburn reported that the Celtics are "gauging what it would take" while trying to find a path to Antetokounmpo "without moving the five-time All-Star." That, Washburn noted, is the hard part. With Jayson Tatum considered "untouchable," a deal that excludes Brown is "virtually impossible" under Boston's cap sheet — Tatum and Brown each earn north of $57 million next season, and the next-largest contract belongs to Derrick White at $30.3 million.
There is a relationship cost, too. Washburn warned that simply having Brown's name circulate in trade talks could create "a rift with the organization" that Boston would have to repair if he stays.
On the other side, Milwaukee holds leverage few selling teams enjoy. Antetokounmpo has a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28 and is expected to sign an extension only with a destination he approves, which narrows the Bucks' market to teams he would commit to. ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that Milwaukee is not "in love" with Miami's framework, which is built around the No. 13 pick, Tyler Herro and young prospects.
Opinion in Boston is split on whether Brown should even be on the table. Hosts at WEEI argued they would move almost anyone else — picks and rotation players — before parting with Brown in a straight swap, and questioned whether ownership would ever stomach paying three maximum contracts at once. The counterpoint, voiced on ESPN's airwaves, is that a Tatum-Antetokounmpo pairing would be the most talented duo the league has seen since Kevin Durant joined the Warriors — provided Boston is willing to overhaul a three-point-heavy style that the same analysts blamed for the team's early playoff exit.
Skeptics keep circling back to health. One ESPN panelist said the worry is that Antetokounmpo has entered the stage of his career where he is "always hurt," and that Brown, coming off a career year, is the safer long-term bet. A colleague pushed back with the numbers: outside of this past season, Antetokounmpo has played roughly 93% of his career games.
The saga has run hot enough that the coverage itself became a story. On ESPN's "Get Up," analyst Jay Williams claimed, "Jaylen Brown has already also unfollowed the Boston Celtics on all his social media." It wasn't true — Brown's X and Instagram accounts still showed him following the team — and the on-air claim was quickly debunked and labeled "a bad look" for the network.
For now, the facts are narrower than the noise. Boston has made an offer. Miami is pushing. Milwaukee is in no rush to accept a package it doesn't love. And the Celtics are still searching for the version of this trade that lands Antetokounmpo without costing them the wing who just gave them a career year. Whether such a deal exists may be answered before the draft clock starts on June 23.
