As the NBA’s season suspension continues, it’s only right to wonder what a lost season would mean for the league’s reigning MVP’s status as he approaches free agency next summer. If he wants to be traded, could the Boston Celtics put together the best offer?
In recent years, we have seen disgruntled superstars get traded before the final year of their contracts. Paul George was traded in 2017 to the Oklahoma City Thunder and ended up signing an extension, while Kawhi Leonard was traded in 2018 to the Toronto Raptors before winning a title and leaving in free agency. Most recently it was Anthony Davis–after being courted by the Boston Celtics–was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers.
When teams are in danger of losing their star, they don’t sit and let said star leave in free agency for nothing anymore. The Cleveland Cavaliers’ handling of LeBron James, at the least in 2010, is the cautionary tale of a team not doing its due diligence and crumbling when their superstar leaves.
The Milwaukee Bucks face a similar scenario this coming summer. After having the league’s best record for two straight seasons, Giannis Antetokounmpo has yet to win a ring in the “Cream City”. While he has said all the right things about Milwaukee, every player eventually faces the difficult decision of choosing loyalty over legacy.
We don’t know if the Bucks were going to win the title or flame out before the Finals again. If that question never gets a chance to be answered, where will that leave the man known as the “Greek Freak”?
The Bucks are a team well-built for regular season success, but beyond Antetokounmpo, there aren’t any players that can take the reigns of the offense in a tightly contested playoff matchup. Eric Bledsoe has a rough playoff history, and Khris Middleton is more of a robin than a batman.
These days, it is all the rage to see two dominant players team up to form a super duo, but the Boston Celtics could allow Antetokounmpo the opportunity to be apart of a “big-3” if they were able to land him in a deal.
Danny Ainge has held out on dealing for guys like Leonard, George and Davis in the past, but none of them are as singularly dominant as Antetokounmpo has been the past two seasons. In a trade scenario to land the reigning MVP, the conversation could start with Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward.
Hayward is a win-now piece that could allow Milwaukee to remain competitive, and while Brown also contributes to winning in the present, he holds great value as a 23-year-old who averages 20 points per game this season.
Ainge wouldn’t stop there, though, considering this would be a deal for arguably the league’s most dominant player. Romeo Langford, Grant Williams and any other recent draft pick should be on the table, as should a number of future first round draft picks.
Is that the best offer available in the league? Well that depends on what the Bucks are looking for. A team like the Los Angeles Clippers could dangle Paul George in a superstar swap, and they could also include pieces like Lou Williams, Landry Shamet and Pat Beverley in a theoretical trade.
The Golden State Warriors are also heavily in the mix due to their well-known ties to Antetokounmpo through his admiration for Steph Curry and some interesting hints he may or may not have dropped that his interest in the bay. Any Warriors deal begins with Andrew Wiggins and at least three to five first round picks, though. Is that better than receiving a former All-Star like George or Hayward?
In truth, the Boston Celtics have not only the best trade offer, but also offer the best situation after such a deal would be completed. Antetokounmpo would join Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum to form a star trio, and they’d still keep complimentary role players like Marcus Smart and Daniel Theis.
After years of passing on the big fish, Ainge should revel at the chance of landing a franchise-changing star like Antetokounmpo. If he engages in trade talks, Ainge has the chance to put together the best trade package to keep Milwaukee afloat in the east while also making the C’s legitimate championship favorites.