The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga loomed over the NBA for years.
Fans were forced to watch and hear about the sinking ship that was the Milwaukee Bucks, with Antetokounmpo on board.
At last, there was a resolution as Milwaukee traded him to the Miami Heat on June 23. Miami’s interest in Antetokounmpo was no surprise, given that they’ve been actively superstar-hunting for the past 15 years.
The Boston Celtics, however, who were headed for a full decade of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum playing together, emerged as surprise suitors for Antetokounmpo—with Brown being officially offered in a trade package.
After a week of contradictory reporting about which deal the Bucks preferred, they ultimately opted for Miami’s.
Through the whirlwind of questions that emerged from Boston getting swept up in the speculation, it is clear that Brown is available for trade. And now, the Celtics sit in the center of the trade market, which seems to be right where Brad Stevens wants them to be.
Celtics’ Pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo
On June 24, following the Antetokounmpo trade, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Celtics offered Brown and two first-round picks for the Milwaukee superstar.
Charania said Boston viewed that as an “aggressive pursuit” but was “unwilling to put in players like Hugo González and Baylor Scheierman, or add additional first-round picks.”
Stevens drew his line and stuck to it, while the Heat—Antetokounmpo’s only other serious suitor—won out.
In return, the Bucks received Tyler Herro, four first-round picks (including a swap), Miami’s last three first-round selections (Kasparas Jakucionis, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr.), and a future second-round pick.
Also that day, ESPN senior NBA writer Brian Windhorst appeared on “Get Up” and said he expects a “bidding war” for Brown.
“In the most recent days, teams have been preparing for this eventuality—that it wouldn’t be the Boston Celtics who won the Giannis sweepstakes and that there would be a Jaylen Brown market,” Windhorst said.
Jaylen Brown is Available for Trade
Charania reported that the Celtics are “engaged” in trade offers for Brown.
“I wouldn’t say they’re actively shopping him right now,” Charania said (H/T @PatMcAfeeShow). “But they are listening to offers, and there are multiple interested teams that have started to at least reach out and engage.”
Stevens’ comments after the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft later that night supported that idea.
“Is Jaylen Brown going to be on this team at the beginning of next season?” Stevens was asked directly (H/T @John_Karalis).
It was a yes-or-no question answered with a word salad. Stevens’ refusal to commit to Brown’s future with the Celtics was confirmation that Brown is available.
Celtics Losing Out on Giannis
Stevens may have been serious about wanting Antetokounmpo, but he was surely prepared of the repercussions if this deal fell through.
No subsequent trade option will generate the same excitement as acquiring a superstar like Antetokounmpo. He and Tatum would have struck terror into the league, but Milwaukee’s asking price was higher than Stevens was willing to go.
Instead, the Celtics will have to settle for the player who has played 142 playoff games for them, won Finals MVP just two years ago, and will go down as a franchise legend.
What Does Jaylen Brown Think of All This?
Where has Brown been during all of this?
Hanging out at dojos in China. Training with Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles in Monaco, while also pitching Twitch CEO Dan Clancy “Outside the NBA”.
Brown’s Twitch streams are only snapshots of what his life looks like right now. But anyone who took the the useless reporting around the past week of Antetokounmpo rumors should be taking Brown’s Twitch streams as stone-cold proof that he is not sweating the drama.
https://twitter.com/AthleteVanity/status/2063961011221111147?s=20
Could Jaylen Brown Force His Way Out?
There is a fear among many Celtics fans that all of this will cause irreparable damage to Brown’s relationship with the team.
Brown would be justified in feeling scorned by Stevens for having to spend another summer in trade rumors—especially after a career year. He cannot, though, say that he was completely blindsided.
Stevens made clear that he has been in consistent communication with Brown and his agency.
“We had a couple of meetings earlier, end of May, also before he went back overseas 10 days ago or so,” Stevens said in his press conference (H/T @NoaDalzell). “Spent a lot of time just the two of us sitting down together, and then have been, like every offseason, in regular touch with his agent all the way through the last couple of days.”
Brown previously said that a full season of being his team’s top offensive option was the most fun year of his career. Any team that now trades for him would believe in his ability to maintain No. 1 scorer production. For a player who is already enjoying the perks of NBA superstardom, he could make peace with that outcome.
That said, it’s hard to imagine Brown would uproot a decade-long legacy in Boston.
Brown is under contract for three more years—through the 2028-29 season. The Celtics have all of the leverage if Brown were to try to force his way out, but that would require a nuclear blowup from someone with 10 terrific years with the franchise and who once became the youngest person to ever give a lecture at Harvard University.
It’s Just Business
When asked about whether he believes Tatum and Brown can still win a championship together, the reporter could not finish his question before Brad Stevens answered “yes”.
The Celtics won a championship with Tatum and Brown just two years ago. Their competition around them improved, but that doesn’t mean they’re in any insurmountable hole.
Jaylen Brown has built the foundation of a Hall of Fame career in Boston, and a reputation for himself worldwide as an intelligent, bold, entrepreneurial role model. He will either begin a new chapter in his career somewhere else, likely averaging big numbers and leading competitive teams.
Or, he will continue to build on his Boston legacy by competing for championships with the most decorated franchise in NBA history.
Either way, the Celtics are in position to strike.
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