An intriguing offseason lies ahead for the Boston Celtics after their stunning first-round playoff exit.
The Celtics blew a 3-1 series lead for the first time in franchise history, falling in Game 7 in front of their home crowd. Their lack of a strong frontcourt presence, as well as an over-reliance on 3-pointers, may have cost them another run at a championship.
C’s president of basketball operations Brad Stevens addressed those issues during his end-of-season press conference on Wednesday. He also answered a question about star Jaylen Brown’s rumored “frustration” with the organization, stating that Brown “has not expressed those frustrations to me.”
Nonetheless, Brown’s future with the team has become a hot topic as offseason trade rumors begin to swirl. The Celtics have recently been linked to Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, with NBA insider Marc Stein advising to “keep an eye on” the C’s in the Giannis sweepstakes.
While Antetokounmpo would help their frontcourt dilemma, the Celtics almost certainly would have to part ways with Brown to pry him from Milwaukee. That may seem like a non-starter, but given Antetokounmpo’s status as one of the NBA’s elite talents, it’s something Stevens must at least consider if the offer is on the table.
So, should the Celtics stick with the Jayson Tatum/Jaylen Brown tandem on their quest for Banner 19, or should they split them up to acquire Giannis? NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg and Tom Giles discussed the topic on the latest episode of the Celtics Talk Podcast.
“I would rather have Jaylen Brown than Giannis,” Giles said. “But if Jaylen Brown says, ‘I want to be traded,’ that’s where the conversation changes. That’s kind of where I’ve been for a while. If you can have those two guys (Tatum and Brown), that gives you the best chance of winning. If you kind of get nudged into it, that changes the conversation.”
As of now, it seems highly unlikely that Brown will request a trade. During his Twitch stream on Wednesday night, Brown stated, “If it was up to me, I would play in Boston for the next 10 years.”
But as he acknowledges, his future in Boston isn’t up to him. It’ll be up to Stevens to decide which path to take, and although it would hurt to break up the Jays, the opportunity to add an elite talent like Antetokounmpo would be enticing.
“As much as I’m leery of the Giannis stuff, I get why it has to at least be a conversation,” Forsberg said. “I’m hopeful that whatever comes next involves the Jays and figuring out the best way to accentuate their talents and giving them the best opportunity to make another run. …
“Giannis is great in a vacuum, but you’re introducing whole new factors into your locker room. There’s a chance it works really great, there’s also a chance it doesn’t work. He wasn’t always happy in Milwaukee when they weren’t winning. …
“How does Tatum feel about that? All of a sudden, just having another guy who’s very much part of the elite universe. It’s one thing when you’ve done it with Jaylen and Jayson for all these years, it’s just another when you introduce someone new. There’s a whole bunch of variables that go into it.”
Antetokounmpo is a 10-time All-Star, two-time MVP, nine-time All-NBA selection, and NBA Finals MVP. That said, trading a lucrative package centered around Brown to acquire him would be risky. The 31-year-old played in only 36 games last season due to multiple injuries, and as Forsberg notes, it’s possible he wouldn’t be the best fit in the C’s locker room.
The questions surrounding Antetokounmpo’s future could be answered before the new league year begins in July. Bucks owner Jimmy Haslam said Wednesday that he’d like a decision to be made before the NBA Draft, which is set for June 23.
Also in the episode:
