3 Giannis Antetokounmpo trade destinations that would scare the Celtics

Last year, the Boston Celtics were dominant. Nobody stood in their way as they rolled through the playoffs, going 16-3 en route to Banner 18. And now, they are ready to run it back with a nearly identical roster. Teams like the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Milwaukee Bucks will be in their way, but Giannis Antetokounmpo knows how rocky things are for his squad.

During a recent exclusive interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic, Antetokounmpo joked with a Bucks staffer about getting fired if they fail this year. “If we don’t win this year, would you get fired?” Antetokounmpo asked with a wry smile to his co-worker, as relayed by Amick. “Do you have it in the back of your mind, like, ‘(What) if this year doesn’t go well?’ Yeah, if we don’t win a championship, I might get traded. Yeah, this is the job we live. This is the world we’re living in. It’s everybody.”

Obviously, Antetokounmpo was joking. But all jokes have a little bit of truth to them. And if the Bucks fall short again this year, could they actually consider trading Antetokounmpo? Maybe. If he requests a move. 

Should that happen, here are three Antetokounmpo landing spots that would be disastrous for the Celtics.

1. Miami Heat

The Celtics have a history with the Miami Heat. They’ve squared off in the Eastern Conference finals in three of the last five years, and the Heat have the advantage in those series. If Antetokounmpo joined them, it would make them even scarier.

Maybe Miami doesn’t have the assets to make a move, but they’ll definitely be interested. And the interest would probably be mutual. If the Heat shipped out Tyler Herro, other young players, and all of their picks, maybe the Bucks would consider biting.

A Big 3 of Antetokounmpo, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo would immediately become a title contender capable of competing with the Celtics in the East.

2. New York Knicks

Like the Heat, the New York Knicks might not have the assets to trade for Antetokounmpo, as they gave most of them up for Mikal Bridges, but they would definitely throw their hat in the ring. And perhaps Antetokounmpo would want to play in one of the biggest sports markets.

Jalen Brunson and Antetokounmpo alone would make the Knicks a top contender in the East. If they can keep one (or two) of Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, or OG Anununoby in the deal, their roster would be on par with Boston’s.

Seeing Antetokounmpo don the blue and orange would be enough to strike fear in Celtics fans’ hearts.

3. Indiana Pacers

This is an odd selection, but the Indiana Pacers already play the Celtics super well. If they had Antetokounmpo on their team, they could be even more of a nightmare for Boston.

A squad with Antetokounmpo, Tyrese Haliburton, and Pascal Siakam would be very fun, and the Pacers’ fast-paced style would lead to plenty of fastbreaks for the Greek Freak.

Antetokounmpo would travel to another small market close in proximity to Milwaukee, forming one of the most unique lineups in the league. And it would definitely be enough to make the Celtics overthink for a moment.