It’s too bad the Celtics couldn’t land Giannis Antetokounmpo

Boston Celtics

The Celtics drafted the best player possible because they believed Antetokounmpo was a better player than Jaylen Brown.

By Chad Finn

June 23, 2026 | 3:09 pm

4 minutes to read

This is me. I’m the only one, or at least one of a small minority.

In the hours after things were finally settled, I was upset that the Celtics couldn’t make a trade of Jaylen Brown for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Oh, don’t take this as a suggestion that Brad Stevens, the Celtics’ trustworthy president of basketball operations, should have matched or surpassed Heat’s winning bid for AntetokounmpoA nine-time All-NBA selection and two-time Most Valuable Player.

In the announced parameters of the deal, which also sends forward Bobby Portis to Miami, the Heat appear to be giving up not so much star power, but rather a herd of B/B players with varying upside, including Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez, Kel Weir, and the intriguing Kasparas Jakosionnis.

But they are an act Includes an abundance of draft picks, including three first rounds, a pick swap, and a second round pick. In bulk, it’s a lot, and the Heat probably gave the rights to Ronnie Seikaly and Sherman Douglas for good measure.

Stevens was disciplined and judicious in drawing the line. The Celtics reportedly offered Brown and a pair of first-round picks, confirmation of something the Browns’ most loyal fans didn’t want to admit: The Celtics rightfully — obviously, I’d say — saw Antetokounmpo as a clear upgrade.

The scenario seems to have gone the way I expected. The Celtics offered Brown, who was the best player the Bucks would get in return, and waited to see if Milwaukee would get a better offer.

The desperate Heat, who had coveted Antetokounmpo for years, upped the ante — likely resulting in the Celtics adding a few firsts to the offer — until they reached the expected turning point:

Sorry, we’re not listing Hugo Gonzalez or anything else. We’re out. Enjoy South Beach, stranger.

Now, the reason I hope Brown’s offer and a few picks are enough to tempt the idiots in charge of the Bucks to send Antetokounmpo to Boston is simple: I’m thoroughly enjoying covering the NBA Finals at TD Garden.

Add Antetokounmpo — a better player than Brown who fills some of the needs, like scoring in the paint, that Stevens cited in his book A candid press conference at the end of the season – It would have raised his ceiling and given the Celtics a better chance at winning a 19th pennant than the alternative, which seems to be the Brown/Jayson Tatum status quo, with some additions on the sidelines.

I strongly suspect that Stevens, who is rational and unemotional, realizes that the path to true championship contention at this position is very difficult.

Brown and Tatum are champions, and that banner will fly forever. But often overlooked even by savvy Celtics fans, the Jays, because of their even-keeling tendencies, need a certain kind of supporting cast — sophisticated, versatile, selfless players.

I’ll repeat: these types of players are extremely difficult to find. The Celtics have ways to add veteran talent. But I asked and asked again, and no one has come up with prospects who can do Tatum and Brown the way Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis did two years ago.

This team has regressed over the last couple of years, partly due to injuries, and partly due to their repeated failure to take care of business when given the opportunity. This season ended when They blew a 3-1 lead For the team that is eliminated in the next round.

They’re not uncontenders, but they represent important and unexpected moves from having a true championship roster. Stevens knows it too.

So, in his quest to win another title in Tatum’s prime, with the collective bargaining agreement narrowing that window, he seized a specific opportunity to trade a blue-chip player for an even better one.

I’m not sure Brown would buy that explanation. But as someone fluent in Bradspeak, I believe this to be true.

So what now with Brown? There is a lot of speculation from national writers, many of whom have been holding off on the Celtics’ potential involvement in the Antetokounmpo trade all the way, that there will now be a bidding war for Brown.

Don’t buy it. I don’t think the Celtics have any intention of giving up on him unless it’s for a better player who helps in countless ways. That was Giannis, I’m not sure it’s anyone else, unless the Celtics think New Orleans sharpshooter Trey Murphy will be better than Brown soon. I don’t think they do that.

Brown may be frustrated, and there is speculation he may request a trade. I’m inclined to think that Stevens — who apologized when Marcus Smart got frustrated because it never occurred to him he might be traded — kept the Browns informed. Holiday, for example, said he appreciated Stevens’ honesty with him before he was traded last offseason.

And if the brown is cracked? Well, too bad, what is his leverage? He earns approximately $60 million annually. It’s still good. Will it hold up? Would you become a full-time Twitcher? Will he play but vow to pass less?

I understand why many Celtics fans — the vast majority, as my email indicates — are glad the deal didn’t happen. One of the most satisfying plots in sports is when a player you watched growing up becomes a champion.

When I teased her like I did the Get Giannis shots, my daughter said very clearly, “I know it’s probably the right move in basketball. I just don’t want the Jays era to end.”

It’s a beautiful sentiment, and represents the best of true fandom.

I can’t help but think that, barring some unexpectedly nice roster improvements, their seasons will continue to end sooner than Finals-loving people want.