The Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors have only continued to heat up for the Boston Celtics. So much so that we're getting bald-faced lies just to get any sort of update. This situation could drag on between now and the NBA Draft, but before anything happens, something needs to be clear: it's not the end of the world if Boston doesn't win the Giannis sweepstakes.
The reason why they're in this to begin with should be obvious. It's a two-time MVP, one of the best players of his generation, and one of the best players in NBA history still in his prime, and there's a chance that he may cost only Jaylen Brown to get him? This is a golden opportunity.
Antetokounmpo provides Boston with the best chance of at an upgrade that could push them over the top, but he's not the only way. Even without him, the Celtics still have one of the league's best duos in Brown and Jayson Tatum. Those two don't vault Boston to contention by themselves, but they are why no one ever takes them lightly.
Those two are a proven product who have taken the Celtics very far in the playoffs time and time again, even if it's been two years since Boston did anything. Giannis and Tatum may very well be better, but it's not like Boston's out of options if he doesn't join the team.
But Boston would still have to do something
Without coming off like I'm contradicting myself, the Jays give the Celtics a foundation, but it's also been proven that they need help around the edges, which is something they definitely didn't have this season.
If there's something that the Philadelphia 76ers exposed in the playoffs, it's that the supporting cast definitely needs to be better. One can get behind pairing Giannis with Tatum, but they can also get behind putting some game-changers next to Tatum and Brown if Giannis is no longer an option.
That is more or less how Boston won Banner 18 two years ago. They don't have to re-create the formula, but merely re-invent it with players who have similar impacts even if they aren't the same as Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, or Al Horford.
How they're going to do it is anyone's guess, which is why their pursuit of Antetokounmpo makes all the more sense: trading for him is the most straightforward option. However, Stevens gave himself this summer with the MLE, TPEs, and the ability to do sign-and-trades.
It would be a shame to miss out on the Greek Freak, but that doesn't mean the Celtics window would be shut if they do.
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