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Celtics can't ignore potential red flag in Giannis Antetokounmpo pursuit

Antetokounmpo has been praised for his talent and character, but said character may have just come into question.
Jan 19, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) sits on the ground after a collision against the Milwaukee Bucks during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
Jan 19, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) sits on the ground after a collision against the Milwaukee Bucks during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

The justification for the Boston Celtics acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo is pretty self-explanatory: it's Giannis Antetokounmpo. He's still considered among the best NBA players. However, the latest testimonial from Myles Turner would indicate there's a red flag: Antetokounmpo will check out when things are bad enough.

Turner, who has been mentioned as an option for the Celtics this summer, revealed on "Game Recognize Game" that Antetokounmpo was always late to practices and basically got to do whatever he wanted.

For the record, you can't blame him for basically giving up on the situation because the Bucks are out of options - which is why all of these Celtics rumors have popped up so much lately - but it's Turner's word that should further question why he's still on the Bucks?!

Why put Milwaukee through all of this when, at this point, it's better to put them out of their misery? It's clear that there's nothing the Bucks can realistically do to fix the situation they are in. The last step is trading Giannis, so his loyalty is actually a detriment.

The fact that this is out there is a red flag for an Antetokounmpo trade. It's not unfamiliar behavior for a star to do that when he has tuned out - Celtics fans will tell you Vietnam-esque stories about Kyrie Irving - but stories like these show the two-time MVP isn't immune to it.

This is where the Jays' character really stands out

Over the years, plenty have questioned if the Jays could really put their egos aside to put the Celtics in the best possible. Despite all the speculation and rumors, that's never been a problem. They've understood the assignment through the good times and bad.

It definitely hasn't always been smooth sailing for Boston - it certainly isn't now - but that's never driven a wedge between Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The fact that it hasn't as we're about to enter Year 10 speaks volumes for their character.

Everyone wants more titles, but what forms a consistent winner is having stars who buy in. Tatum and Brown have done that. They've embraced their roles in Boston and it's led to their extensive success. No, they didn't do this all on their own, but there's no doubt that the Celtics would not have gotten as far as they have without their healthy approach to team basketball.

Antetokounmpo is a better player than both of them, but one could argue that the downgrade in character may not be worth the upgrade in talent.

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