All of the Celtics’ trade rumors recently have revolved around possibly acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo and whether or not a package around Jaylen Brown (plus a little) or Derrick White (plus a lot) would be enough to get it done. Both of those hypothetical offers could probably beat anything that the Heat have to offer, but until a deal is done, it’s anyone’s guess.
We do know that the Celtics have made an offer, and we know that Giannis is not a Celtic. Milwaukee is likely going to enter a rebuilding phase once they move the Greek Freak, so it makes some sense that they may not be super high on the soon-to-be 30-year-old Brown or the 32-year-old White.
But whether it’s part of a Giannis deal or not, those players certainly appear to have value around the league, and that was emphasized on Friday by Sam Amick of The Athletic. He noted that the Blazers have essentially bowed out of the Giannis sweepstakes, but they would have “serious interest” in Brown if made available. He also reported that the Timberwolves are another team that has mostly given up on a Giannis dream, but that they have “strong interest” in adding White.
The Celtics, Blazers, and Wolves are all trying to win now, so it may be tough to come to any kind of agreements that make sense for both parties involved. Maybe a positional switch, like flipping White to Minnesota for Rudy Gobert or Naz Reid, could be intriguing, but shipping Brown to Portland without getting Giannis back doesn’t seem like a needle-mover.
Celtics are primed to start wheeling and dealing
So, it’s interesting to note that as the draft approaches and the Giannis saga comes to a head, these tangible rumors about specific Celtics players are coming out. It certainly seems like the Cs are setting up for something big. Boston could definitely be gauging the market for its own players, either to find the best deal for Giannis or as a backup plan.
The Blazers are a natural fit as the third team in a Giannis deal, especially knowing how much they want Brown. They control multiple Bucks’ first-round picks and could sweeten the pot with young prospects like Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson. A deal that starts there and includes some salary and maybe a little more sweetener from Boston seems appealing to all sides.
And whether Giannis comes to Boston or not, there is some urgency to add depth in the frontcourt. Gobert is a player who has done nothing but contribute to winning as a one-man defensive engine for almost a decade. Operating next to Giannis may be a little stodgy on offense, but that would be an impenetrable wall on defense, and an incredible pick-and-roll partner for the Jays and/or Antetokounmpo.
Reid isn’t the defensive anchor that Gobert is, but he’d give the Celtics an incredible stretch-big man who would fit in naturally next to Giannis, or as part of a rotation with Neemias Queta and Luka Garza. Regardless of other deals, flipping White to Minnesota is something that, at least, deserves consideration.
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