According to The Stein Line's Jake Fischer, the Boston Celtics aren't a "certified suitor" for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer. And given that such a trade would require moving on from Jaylen Brown and other assets for a star who is on the wrong side of his prime, this should be good news for Boston fans.
"I know there's been a fair bit of Brown-for-Antetokounmpo speculation lately — in part because their salaries are in the same vicinity — but my understanding is that the Celtics to this point only expressed cursory interest in Giannis before the February trade deadline like so many other teams. I never got the sense that Boston was a certified suitor for Antetokounmpo," Fischer wrote.
"Nor did I get any indication that Giannis was seriously moved by the idea of joining the Celtics, whereas his curiosity about playing in New York for the Knicks (as we've reported previously) is indeed a thing."
The Celtics shouldn't explore a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo
Let me just put it all out there: 1) No, I do not think Brown is better than Antetokounmpo, 2) I also firmly believe Antetokounmpo is a top-five (at the worst) player in the NBA, and 3) I think whoever does end up trading for him (because, let's face it, it's happening) will be a serious contender for the foreseeable future because he can elevate every team in the league.
But that doesn't mean the two-time MVP would be a good fit in Boston, especially if it means giving up a homegrown star talent in Brown.
Antetokounmpo is going to be 32 years old in December, he can't shoot (which especially won't fly on this Boston team), injuries limited him to just 36 games this past season (not totally fair considering the Bucks were tanking, but his injuries were calf and knee-related, which aren't anything to mess around with, especially at his age), and his athleticism and defense have taken a slight decline.
The Greek native is currently one of the best players in the NBA, but that's likely not going to be the case in five years or so. And given that he is eligible for a contract in October, it puts whoever is going to sign him in a tough spot. Obviously, you want to secure a future Hall of Famer for a while, but do you want to pay a 35-37-year-old Antetokounmpo potentially over $60 million per season? Of course not, especially if you're a Celtics team that has had some financial problems in recent years.
Boston should prioritize keeping Jaylen Brown for the long haul
Brown has his flaws, but he is also a top player in the league. And given that he is fresh off the best individual season of his career (and isn't even 30 years old yet), it should be a no-brainer for Boston to sign him to an extension as soon as possible.
It hasn't even been two years since the Georgia native "led" the Celtics to their 18th title, and he still has a ton of good basketball left.
Prioritizing Brown or Antetokounmpo does two things: 1) it keeps the Jays together, which we know has worked and can work again when it comes to winning a championship, and 2) it keeps Boston's title window open for a little bit longer.
The Celtics absolutely need to make some changes this summer (maybe getting a new center, bolstering their depth with another scorer, etc.), but should that include parting ways with Brown for Antetokounmpo? Absolutely not.
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