There was a very small percentage of people who thought that the Philadelphia Sixers would come back from down 3-1 in the first round of the NBA playoffs to beat the Celtics, yet that is exactly what happened. And to think it could lead to Boston going in on Giannis Antetokounmpo, as Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported on Monday that the 31-year-old superstar has his eyes on the Celtics (subscription required.
I've heard something similar from a few different teams since the Chicago draft combine: Miami and Boston are increasingly perceived to be the potential trade destinations that currently — underline currently— most intrigue Milwaukee's Antetokounmpo.
Boston hasn't outright made it clear that it feels the same, though the team was one of many to reach out to Milwaukee about Antetokounmpo before the deadline. It wasn't anything serious, but it could turn into that this summer.
Losing to the Sixers was an embarrassing meltdown for the Celtics, and when you pair that with a talent like Giannis hitting the market, Boston could decide that it's worth losing Jaylen Brown for, as he'd have to be on the way out to make a deal work. We all know Jayson Tatum isn't going anywhere.
Celtics are a team Giannis Antetokounmpo is interested in
If you're thinking that it wouldn't make sense for Milwaukee or Brown to work together, Stein added that there is a belief that Atlanta, Houston, and Portland have "legitimate trade interest" in the 29-year-old. A multi-team deal could reroute him to one of those three destinations, sending him somewhere he could have a chance to win another championship.
There is more there than it may have seemed initially, but Brad Stevens will have to deem the risk worth it for it to happen. After watching the Knicks dominate the East en route to the NBA Finals, coupled with what the Spurs and Thunder are doing in the West, maybe trading for Giannis could be something he feels is necessary for Boston to win another title with Tatum.
Philadelphia should want to see Antetokounmpo leave the conference entirely, preferably to a team in the West like Houston, which has the mix of assets and young players to get Milwaukee's attention. But he may not want to sign an extension with the Rockets, and that matters, considering he has a player option for 2027-28 that he could decline to hit unrestricted free agency.
It matters that Giannis is interested in the Celtics. Now, how much that matters to Boston isn't known, at least publicly. That could hold more weight than the Sixers or other teams in the East want, and if it does, Giannis and Tatum could be the next big superstar duo.
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