There are two top stories in the NBA right now. One is what's unfolding in the playoffs. The San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder just delivered a seven-game slugfest. It was a heavyweight bout between the franchises better positioned than any other to establish NBA supremacy. That Victor Wembanyama led his team to the Finals with a victory on the Thunder's home floor in a winner-take-all tilt might signal that the league is already his.
As organizations around the Association figure out how to combat the emerging powerhouse in San Antonio and a reigning champion who isn't going anywhere, the Boston Celtics must decide their best course of action.
That brings us to the other topic dominating NBA discourse: Where will Giannis Antetokounmpo end up?
The Celtics are a potential suitor whose name comes up as much as any other. In a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Shaquille O'Neal weighed in on whether Boston should break up Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for a two-time league MVP.
Shaquille O'Neal advises the Celtics to stay the course
O'Neal was quick to answer the question. There was conviction in his voice as he expressed his opinion that Boston should keep its star tandem intact. He also stated what he believes needs to change.
"I don't think they should break up the Jays. They just have to learn how to have better in-game adjustments. The Celtics, they're gonna die by the jump shot and live by the jump shot," said O'Neal. "It's tough to watch. When it's falling, it looks pretty, but you have to have that mentality, 'Hey, I just missed two 3s, let me go take a high-percentage shot. That's why they lost."
Brad Stevens agrees with the Basketball Hall of Famer. At his end-of-season press conference, he emphasized the need for Boston to find easier avenues to creating quality shots on their first attempt.
"My general feeling watching us play, in really each of the last two playoffs, in the second round against New York, even against Orlando in the first round, was, we had a hard time generating really good looks on that first shot. So, we got to figure out a way to do better in that," stated Stevens.
The Celtics' president of basketball operations also declared that they need to have a greater impact at the rim and must make external additions to address it. It was a statement that stoked the fires fueling speculation of a potential trade for Antetokounmpo.
Whether Stevens opts for that path or if he takes O'Neal's advice is a choice that should soon come to light. There's an expectation that the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes will conclude by the NBA Draft, which starts on Jun. 23.
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