Inside an illuminating story on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade market from The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Eric Nehm, the two writers reported that there are indications the Milwaukee Bucks star is “very intrigued with the prospect of joining” the Boston Celtics.
While the Celtics weren’t the only team Amick and Nehm linked to Antetokounmpo, his apparent interest in the team’s situation raises the question of how Brad Stevens, president of basketball operations, should approach the 10-time NBA All-Star’s potential availability. Amick and Nehm reported that “it remains to be seen if Boston will chase (Antetokounmpo).”
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So what factors will Stevens need to weigh over the coming weeks while determining whether to pursue Antetokounmpo and how aggressively to do so? First, Stevens must evaluate what he has in his own organization. Unsurprisingly, he sounded disappointed after the Celtics bowed out of the first round for just the second time in the last decade. During an end-of-season news conference, Stevens emphasized that the team needs to put more pressure on the rim and hinted that personnel changes are necessary to ensure that change happens. Stevens also went out of his way to bring up the Celtics’ poor record against the league’s other top teams and declared that the competition will be better next season with fewer teams expected to prioritize their draft positioning over winning. Based on the way he spoke about those two points, he seemed to consider his team’s regular-season record at least somewhat misleading.
So if the Celtics believe they were far from championship caliber, how much do they need to change to reach that level again? And on a related note, how likely are they to take a swing as big as Antetokounmpo? Two quotes from Stevens’ press conference in early May seemed particularly relevant to the Antetokounmpo situation.
The first: “I think the biggest thing is we will, like we normally do, take a little bit of time before we all meet and sit down and get together and determine kind of the best course of action for building A — the best team that we can that’s also sustainable over a long period.”
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When available, Antetokounmpo remains one of the NBA’s four or five best players. He had finished in the top five in MVP voting for seven straight seasons before falling shy of eligibility requirements this season. The Bucks’ roster became a severe problem around him, but that didn’t stop him from producing at his usual rate when on the court. Over 36 games played, he averaged an absurd 34.4 points, 12.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists per 36 minutes on career-best 62.4-percent shooting. The Bucks, a disaster without him, beat their opponents by a respectable 4.4 points per 100 possessions with Antetokounmpo on the court. His on-off splits were MVP-like, as they typically have been. So there’s no doubt Antetokounmpo still deserves to be mentioned among the NBA’s elite. Assuming the Celtics would need to trade Jaylen Brown, who is fresh off a sixth-place finish in MVP voting, they would still be getting an upgrade in the deal.
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Still, Antetokounmpo’s age (31) doesn’t exactly scream “sustainable.” While it’s possible he has plenty of great years left, youth seems to be more and more of an advantage in today’s NBA. The 2025 Thunder were the second-youngest championship team ever. The Spurs, who just knocked off Oklahoma City to reach the finals, are even younger. Assuming the Bucks move Antetokounmpo, his next team could have only a few more years left (if that) to capitalize on what’s left of his prime. And he is eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million extension in October.
On the other hand, Brown is only two years younger than Antetokounmpo. The two players will be making similar money over the next few seasons. And the Celtics could feel more compelled to seek a bigger shift after blowing a 3-1 lead in the first round.
The second: “I also don’t take for granted how good we’ve been when we’ve been full. When we’ve been full, and all on the court and playing together, we’ve been a good basketball team. Those are hard to get, so we just have to be better around the margins.”
As enticing as an Antetokounmpo addition would be, Stevens didn’t sound ready to write off his current core. And he shouldn’t be quick to do so, either. Since Jayson Tatum’s rookie season, the Celtics have won more playoff games than any other organization. The roster has changed around Tatum and Brown many times since then, but Boston has been relevant throughout the duo’s tenure. Even if Stevens doesn’t oversee a major overhaul this summer, there’s plenty of reason to think the Celtics could improve significantly next season. Tatum will be further removed from his torn Achilles. Derrick White will have a summer to iron out his shooting issues. The promising young players, including Neemias Queta, Baylor Scheierman and Hugo González, will all be one year older.
Stevens could be aggressive this offseason without targeting Antetokounmpo. In the past, he has been opportunistic while finding value in significant trades. In 2022, the Celtics netted White without giving up much (unless that 2028 pick swap hurts). In 2023, they actually received two first-round picks while acquiring Kristaps Porziņģis for Marcus Smart and other pieces. Then, when Jrue Holiday became available, they aggressively pursued him, rightfully believing he would help them capture a championship.
Stevens hasn’t been afraid to make big moves. He has shown a willingness to trade important and beloved players. After the Celtics’ first-round exit, he knows they need to get better. Now, Antetokounmpo or not, Stevens needs to decide how to achieve that necessary improvement.