The Giannis smoke is blinding Celtics fans to the real Jaylen Brown dilemma

Even if the Celtics do not trade Jaylen Brown to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, it may not ensure that after a decade in Boston, the 2024 Finals MVP will be playing elsewhere next season.

It's a possibility that Brian Robb of MassLive discussed in a recent appearance on Felger & Mazz on 98.5 The Sports Hub.

"I think they are very much willing to move him for the right guy, whether it's Giannis or whether it's the right package of players from team X," said Robb.

Brown, who turns 30 in October, is coming off a career year. He was an All-Star starter for the first time and finished sixth in the MVP voting. His trade value will never be higher than it is now.

Maybe the Celtics could pull off a deal for Trey Murphy III and Zion Williamson. However, Herbert Jones, who they would probably reroute, seems more likely.

Perhaps Brown going to Houston would compel the Rockets to send Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun to Boston. Again, that's probably not the case. Suddenly, Ime Udoka's team would be built around two players in their 30s, Kevin Durant being the other, and would be getting old fast. That's a precarious position to be in.

When assessing scenarios like this, one arrives at the same conclusion.

If the Celtics are trading Jaylen Brown, it should be for Giannis

There's merit to the idea that being top-heavy isn't the right approach under this more punitive and parity-promoting collective bargaining agreement.

And after two disappointing playoff runs were the encore to Banner 18, maybe Boston believes it's time to break up its franchise cornerstones.

There are concerns about Antetokounmpo's durability. Furthermore, six months after acquiring him, he would become eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million extension. That contract could become an anchor, especially if he sustains a significant injury early in his tenure with his new team.

However, if Brown's not coming back, it's a mistake, from this vantage point, to pass on a top-five talent. If the Celtics swapped the two, their title odds would increase next season, in this author's opinion. Given the injury risks attached to Antetokounmpo, it could also blow up in their face before he shares the floor with Tatum in a postseason setting.

But if Brad Stevens and Co. believe it's time to pen a new chapter, then it's worth it to roll the dice on a two-time MVP. However, between Antetokounmpo's durability concerns and the constraints of this CBA, even if he ends up elsewhere, it might be too early for those who want to see Brown back in Boston next season to exhale.

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