The perpetual smoke surrounding the unavoidable split between the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo has been impossible to avoid inhaling over the past week -- especially for Boston Celtics fans.
According to numerous reports, the Celtics and Miami Heat are two teams that Antetokounmpo would be willing to extend his contract with in the world of a hypothetical trade. Perhaps the biggest unanswered question, besides “where will he land?” has been “what are the Celtics offering?”
It’s been largely assumed that Jaylen Brown has to be involved, since his contract is nearly a perfect match with Giannis’s, but even that component has been called into question.
Well, if what NBA Insider Jake Fischer is reporting is true, then we now know something about what Boston’s trade package looks like. Fischer seems to be confident that the Celtics’ 27th overall pick in next week’s NBA Draft would be on the table.
“We haven't drilled down much yet about what Boston could theoretically deliver in a trade, but its offer would surely feature the No. 27 overall pick in next week's draft,” Fischer wrote in Wednesday’s Steinline newsletter.
For what it’s worth, Fischer reported that the Cs were hoping to trade up in the draft just the other day. Either that means there’s some conflict in the reporting, or that the trade up would be a backup plan, maybe?
The Celtics need to keep draft picks out of Giannis trade discussions as much as possible
Nonetheless, his latest report regarding the potential inclusion of this year’s first-rounder raises some red flags.
If there’s anything that we’ve learned throughout this long saga of hearsay reporting, it’s that Miami’s trade offer isn’t anything special. Boston should be able to outbid a return of Tyler Herro, the 13th overall pick, and other rotation pieces by simply including Brown in a deal.
Whether or not a straight-up star swap would give the Bucks the payday they were hoping for is another story.
The Celtics should not need to mortgage their future to get a deal done here. In fact, part of the appeal, at least in my opinion, is the idea that they’d be able to add a two-time MVP who has plenty left in the tank, without having to gut their depth or draft chest.
Giannis is 32. He’s missed time in two of Milwaukee’s last three playoff series due to injuries. There’s reason to question his longevity, especially as a big man whose best tools are physical.
Boston would be best suited to go into the Antetokounmpo business with insurance. They’ve had the luxury of winning a championship without having had to go “all-in.” They should be doing everything in their power to ensure that their next push comes with that same luxury.
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