Giannis Antetokounmpo’s intrigue in Celtics ‘is real’

Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors seem to evolve weekly, but two teams have been linked to the former NBA champion and league MVP more than any other: the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.

Since trade rumors swirled early in the offseason, Antetokounmpo’s preferred trade destination is believed to be a title contender in the Eastern Conference. Aside from the obvious Knicks, who are 2-0 in the NBA Finals, there are a few teams that fit that bill: Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Orlando could be considered in this tier of Eastern Conference teams.

However, most teams with the assets to trade for Antetokounmpo would need to offload the better parts of their lineup in order to make a legitimate trade, and that would make them less likely to compete.

That’s the advantage Boston seemingly has over every other team Antetokounmpo wants to play for: its roster won’t be depleted in the process of acquiring the “Greek freak.”

Speaking on The Dan Patrick ShowThe Athletic’s Sam Amick said the rumors of Antetokounmpo moving to the Celtics are getting some serious attention, at least on Antetokounmpo’s end.

“Miami is the loudest noise, and you keep hearing that… Yeah, it seems like everyone you talk to says Miami at the deadline had a close trade,” Amick said. “So the hype is tied to Miami, but there’s also some understanding that Giannis has questions about what Miami’s roster will look like on the other side of the deal.

“I think the Celtics are a very interesting option in terms of competitiveness,” Amick added. “That’s something we’ve heard from Giannis’ side that the conspiracy is real. Respect to Joe Mazzola, the way he might view that roster. Do I think he changes things? I don’t know yet. But I think it’s worth watching.”

The piece that seems obvious Boston should bring back, whether to the Bucks or to a third team involved, is Jaylen Brown. Brown has a similar contract to Antetokounmpo, and is a quality enough player that he could be the only player the Celtics trade in a deal, giving them plenty of runway to compete for a championship in the aftermath.

So, from a salary cap standpoint, a trade can be easily made. But Boston will have other factors to consider. Does Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum make sense and will it lead to a better title shot? And even if Brad Stevens thinks so, does it make sense to trade away your longest-tenured player who has already proven he can win a championship alongside Tatum.

Brown’s name has been dangled in a few different rumored trade scenarios over the past few seasons, but no other occasion has garnered this much attention.

As for the dollar, Antetokounmpo’s trade seems almost certain at this point.

“It seems very likely…it’s not often that you have an owner put out a time frame publicly, and that’s what Jimmy Haslem did. We just saw Jimmy Haslem make a huge trade with Myles Garrett in the NFL, which shows he’s definitely willing to pull that trigger if he needs to. I expect it to happen.”

So the Heat and Celtics, who have built a fierce rivalry into the 21st century, especially with their recent matchups in the playoffs, will face each other again. This time, Antetokounmpo is up for grabs.

Stevens entered the offseason saying he would do everything he could to make Boston a more competitive team and give them another championship. He also said he would hit a 3-pointer on every possession if he could. If he lands Antetokounmpo, he might get his wish.