The Celtics are interested in trading Jaylen Brown to the Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo, and rumors skyrocketed Thursday after that was revealed by Kevin O’Connor.
According to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, an NBA source confirmed the Celtics are more than bystanders.
But according to Winderman, the possibility of a deal involving Brown and Antetokounmpo might not be so simple because the Celtics need to find a third team to be part of the deal.
Winderman wrote that the Bucks are looking to maximize draft capital, youth and manageable contracts in an Antetokounmpo deal.
Brown is set to enter his age-30 season and still has three years left of a five-year, $285.4 million contract he signed after the Celtics won their first NBA championship with Brown and Jayson Tatum.
With Brown’s age and hefty contract, there might not be as much interest by the Bucks in breaking up the Celtics’ core. Wilderman noted, though, that the Hawks and Pelicans might be interested in acquiring Brown.
Tatum missed most of the 2025-26 season nursing a torn Achilles that he suffered in the 2025 NBA playoffs.
Brown was in MVP talks for most of the season, finishing with averages of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists. The Celtics (56-26) finished the regular season in second place in the East behind the Pistons (60-22).
But after a first-round exit in the playoffs, in which the Celtics blew a 3-1 lead against the 76ers, Boston might look for a change.
The Hawks (46-36) were one of the NBA’s more surprising teams after finishing the 2025-26 regular season in sixth place. But after blowing a 2-1 series lead against the Knicks and losing Game 6, 140-89, in the first round of the playoffs, their season ended.
The Pelicans (26-56) are coming off a miserable season and missed the playoffs. They could look to pair Brown with Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III, who led them in scoring last season after averaging 21.5 points per game.