Jaylen Brown could become one of the biggest names involved in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes, but it does not sound like Milwaukee would be his preferred destination.
NBA insider Marc J. Spears discussed the latest on SportsCenter, explaining that the Bucks are under pressure to finally resolve the long-running uncertainty surrounding Giannis’ future.
“One NBA executive tells me this is a lot of pressure that the Bucks’ new owner has put on the organization to basically set a deadline on trading someone of Giannis’ stature. I know the Bucks don’t love the Miami deal, but it appears to be the best offer available right now.”
“The Celtics would love to sneak in and get him. And that might mean moving Jaylen Brown somewhere else. I know Jaylen wouldn’t want to play for Milwaukee. This ‘will they, won’t they’ story between Giannis and the Bucks has been going on for quite some time now. We’ll see if we finally get a resolution.”
The Giannis situation has dragged on for months, with the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics repeatedly surfacing as the two teams most aggressively linked to him. Miami has been connected to Giannis for a long time, while Boston has recently emerged as a team trying to sneak into the race.
But Spears made it clear that there are complications everywhere. If Boston seriously pursues Giannis, Brown would almost certainly become the biggest salary and talent piece involved. But if Brown has no interest in Milwaukee, that creates a major problem for any direct Celtics-Bucks framework.
It also explains why three-team and four-team trade ideas have become so important. Boston may be willing to move Brown for Giannis. But Brown landing in Milwaukee does not appear to be the clean answer. That could force another team into the deal, with Brown going somewhere like Portland, Detroit, Houston, Atlanta, or another franchise looking for a proven two-way star.
Brown remains one of the best wings in basketball. Last season, he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while shooting 47.7% from the field and 34.7% from three-point range. He is entering Year 3 of his five-year, $287 million supermax contract and is set to make $57 million next season, $61 million in 2027-28, and $64.9 million in 2028-29.
That contract is enormous, but so is his value. The Celtics are only even discussing this kind of move because of how badly their season ended. Boston finished second in the Eastern Conference at 56-26 and entered the playoffs as a serious Finals threat. Instead, the Celtics blew a 3-1 first-round lead against the Philadelphia 76ers and suffered one of the most shocking collapses in recent franchise history.
That immediately created questions about whether the Tatum-Brown core had reached its limit. Giannis would obviously change everything.
A pairing of Jayson Tatum and Giannis would instantly give Boston one of the most physically dominant duos in the NBA. That is why reports have suggested the Celtics would “without a doubt” trade Brown if it meant landing Giannis.
Still, Brian Windhorst has cast doubt on how realistic a Giannis-to-Boston deal actually is, mainly because of the complexity involved. Bill Simmons, meanwhile, has claimed Giannis likes the idea of Boston.
The Heat remain the simpler storyline. Miami has reportedly been Giannis’ preferred focus, and the Bucks may view the Heat offer as the best available package even if they do not love it.
For Brown, though, the message appears clear. He may be available if Boston goes all-in for Giannis. But Milwaukee does not look like the place he wants to continue his career.
