Celtics can land Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer; Here's how

Get your trade machines ready — Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is officially interested in joining a new team.

ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the story on Monday morning.

“Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has not made any firm decisions, but for the first time in his career, he is open-minded about whether his best fit is remaining in Milwaukee – or playing elsewhere, league sources told ESPN,” Charania posted to X.

A gazillion Giannis trade ideas are sure to flood the internet all summer long.

For now, let’s explore the question of how Antetokounmpo could land with the Boston Celtics.

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The following three-team trade involving the Brooklyn Nets would see Boston move on from Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis this summer while pairing Giannis with Jayson Tatum.

The Trade

Celtics receive…

• Giannis Antetokounmpo (2 years/$121.2M)
• Pat Connaughton (expiring $9.4M)

Bucks receive…

• Jaylen Brown (3 years/$183M)
• Nic Claxton (2 years/$44M)
• 2031 first-rounder (BOS)

Nets receive…

• Kristaps Porzingis (expiring $30.7M)
• 2027 first-rounder (BOS)

Not only would this trade make the Celtics NBA Finals favorites based on a new, absurd core of Jayson Tatum, Giannis, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday, the deal would also save Boston money (the Celtics would be a first apron team if this trade happened).

Milwaukee would get a legitimate superstar in his prime in Brown to begin building around, plus a young, talented center in Claxton to replace Brook Lopez.

The Nets, looking to cut costs as they rebuild, would be turning Claxton’s remaining two years into Porzingis’s expiring while snagging a first-round pick in the process.

Let’s be clear — none of this is likely happening if the Celtics repeat as NBA champions in June (Boston’s GM Brad Stevens would probably avoid trading Brown), but on the other hand, people should start realizing that a Giannis-to-Boston future is not impossible.

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