The Boston Celtics won four of their first five postseason contests, allowing them to defeat the Orlando Magic and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Celtics have the pieces necessary to repeat as NBA champions, but their expensive roster could experience massive changes no matter how the rest of the playoffs go.
Sir Charles in Charge’s Michael Saenz predicts Boston will swap an NBA Finals MVP for a 6-foot-11 Eastern Conference All-Star in free agency.
“It may seem silly to mock up the Boston Celtics pursuing a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, even if he were to hit the trade block,” Sir Charles in Charge’s Michael Saenz wrote Friday.
“However, even if the Celtics are able to win their second NBA Championship this year, there are already whispers that the franchise could be preparing to make some cost-cutting trades this summer.”
“Even though trading for Giannis wouldn't qualify as that, it could lead the way toward a complete retooling of the roster in the future. The scary part is, Boston does have the assets that it may take to get a deal done for Giannis.”
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“And if they needed, they could trade other valuable parts of their roster for additional draft capital if they wanted. Without getting too complicated with a potential offer, the Celtics could offer Jaylen Brown and three future first-round picks to the Bucks in an attempt to pry Giannis away from Milwaukee.”
For clarity, Saenz’s trade proposal sends Brown, a 2025 first-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2029 first-round pick to the Bucks for Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo’s tenure with Milwaukee will likely end this summer.
With the Bucks finishing the 2024-25 campaign with another playoff exit and Damian Lillard’s future with Milwaukee being uncertain after suffering a torn Achilles, there’s a slim chance the dynamic forward remains with the franchise.
Antetokounmpo and Brown are both attack-first, NBA champion assets who are challenging to defend when they get straight to the point and refrain from playing with the basketball on the perimeter.
However, considering Antetokounmpo inked a three-year, $175 million contract with the Bucks in 2023 and Brown secured a massive five-year, $285 million contract with the Celtics around the same time, swapping the two superstars would benefit Boston financially.
A blockbuster summer trade involving Antetokounmpo, Brown, the Celtics, and the Bucks is more realistic than many realize.
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