As a retooling team, the Boston Celtics are likely to dip in and out of the trade market over the coming months and/or years. Brad Stevens will undoubtedly continue to iterate through talent until he finds the additional pieces needed to position Joe Mazzulla’s roster back at the top of the Eastern Conference.
With Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White already under contract, those moves will likely be aimed at constructing a reliable, deep supporting cast. Of course, Stevens could go in another direction and look to flip Brown and filler for another top-10 superstar.
In a recent article from Matt Moore of FanSided, a move for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was suggested as a potential pivot for the Celtics. Moore’s proposed trade looked like this:
Boston Celtics Get:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Myles Turner
- Bobby Portis
Milwaukee Bucks Get:
- Jaylen Brown
- Anfernee Simons
- Sam Hauser
- Xavier Tillman
- Two first-round picks
“Boston gets to instantly reorganize their future,” Moore wrote. “It’s now Tatum coming back from the Achilles with Derrick White and Giannis. That’s your core for the next four years…Giannis and Tatum aren’t a natural fit, but they can both pull so much gravitational help to open up shooters, and are so talented, you live with it. The Celtics instantly transition to an elite defensive team.”
A trio of Giannis, Tatum and White would be devastatingly good. Gianis would have all the space he needed to attack downhill and pressure the rim. Tatum and White would both thrive as creators, floor spacers, and high-level defenders.
The Celtics Would Need Floor Spacers
The hardest part about making a Tatum-Giannis tandem work would be spacing. The Celtics would need multiple high-level shooters on the court at all times. Ensuring there’s enough scope for both starts to get downhill and create scoring or passing opportunities would be essential. Giannis is at his best when driving toward the rim.
Losing Sam Hauser in Moore’s trade proposal would be a big blow. He’s one of the best three-point specialists in the NBA, and the ideal type of talent you want in your supporting cast. However, if Giannis is heading to your team, you pay the premium and figure out how to make it work after the fact.
A rotation full of shooting, ball-handling and defense would ensure the Celtics open a new contention timeline. Of course, constructing a roster like that is far easier said than done.
Giannis Prefers New York
According to an Oct. 7 report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Giannis has previously pinpointed the New York Knicks as his desired destination, should he eventually choose to leave the Bucks.
“Ever since the NBA Draft Combine in mid-May, Alex Saratsis — an Octagon managing director and Antetokounmpo’s U.S.-based representative — has fielded rampant interest in Antetokounmpo and conducted serious due diligence on the best possible outside fits,” Charania reported. “Several teams were discussed internally, but one emerged as the only place Antetokounmpo wanted to play outside of Milwaukee: the New York Knicks.”
Of course, Giannis’ preference could easily change in the coming months. After all, the opportunity to partner with Tatum and bring Banner 19 to Boston could be too good to pass up. In truth, though, it’s highly unlikely we see Giannis swapping one green jersey for another. Still, that doesn’t mean we can’t imagine what things would look like if he did.
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