Celtics' due diligence should not be mistaken for Giannis interest

As the situation with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks has reached a boiling point in recent days, trade talks and speculation have heated up as well. It feels like that marriage is coming to an ugly end, and it would be shocking, at this point, if the Greek Freak ever suits up for Milwaukee again.

The usual suspects were mentioned, like the Heat, Knicks, and Warriors, and several teams are in solid positions due to owning the rights to future Bucks draft picks, like the Hawks, Pelicans, and Blazers.

In a bit of a surprise, the Celtics were also mentioned as a team that was “known to have interest”, according to Sam Amick of the Athletic. This, of course, led to much more rumor-mongering and wishcasting, with the idea that Antetokounmpo would end up in Boston next season.

So, now you’ve got fans and media members coming out of left field with fake trades that would send one of the Jays to Milwaukee, or gut the roster to build a big three with Giannis, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown. Those would be interesting hypothetical ideas, but it’s important to remember, they’re just that.

Celtics’ front office always on top of everything

By now, we should realize that Brad Stevens and company are extreme in their diligence. If a top-five player in the world hits the trade market, it would be malpractice not to look into it. Stevens will certainly be on the phone a lot this summer, and he’s going to find a move, or moves that make sense for the Celtics.

Could that mean Giannis? Sure. It’s not likely, though, and the report that they had known interest at the deadline doesn’t exactly make me think they’re in a rush to sell the farm for him. Even if Boston flames out in the playoffs, there shouldn’t be a crazy overreaction to a team that reinvented itself on the fly.

Tatum and Brown have established themselves as franchise icons, committed to winning at the highest level in Boston. Splitting them up now would be crazy. Even for Giannis. Antetokounmpo is now 31 years old, he’s been dealing with calf injuries for years, and he hasn’t had a meaningful playoff moment since 2022.

On top of that, he’s going to want a 5-year supermax extension from whatever team acquires him. That would basically lock the Celtics into a core for the rest of the Jays' era. If everything falls into place, it could work beautifully, and that team would have a very high ceiling, but it’s putting a lot of eggs in one basket.

As it stands, the Cs are going to be in a great position to make moves this offseason, but that doesn’t necessarily mean some big splash move for a star like Giannis. They’ve got the full midlevel exception to play with, a nice traded player exception from the Anfernee Simons trade, and no roster restrictions as they’re under the luxury tax with Nikola Vucevic’s contract set to expire.

Brad Stevens will be opportunistic

I imagine they’d love to stay under the tax again next season and reset the repeater tax, which would give them a runway to spend big for the next few years. Obviously, if a player like Giannis wants to come to Boston, they’ll happily go over the tax, but it’s not a necessity.

Also, keep in mind that the moves Stevens has made are never the ones fans are expecting. Nothing leaks out of the Auerbach Center, and most trades have seemed to come out of nowhere. So, expect the Celtics to be lurking around every corner, and expect them to make moves, but don’t expect the Giannis fireworks that are suddenly being forecasted.

Instead, remember the last Bucks blockbuster trade when they acquired Damian Lillard from the Blazers. Boston wasn’t involved directly, but they seized the opportunity to swoop in and land Jrue Holiday, who had become a casualty of the deal.

That’s the way Stevens and this front office operate, and I expect more of the same going forward. They’ll keep their ears open, and they’ll be opportunistic as always, but this roster is primed to compete for titles as is. They’ll do their due diligence, but I can’t imagine getting into a public bidding war for an oft-injured star on the wrong side of 30 who has become a major distraction for his team.