The Celtics weren’t able to land Giannis Antetokounmpo to pair with Jayson Tatum, as the Bucks’ superstar was dealt to the Heat late Monday night in exchange for a package headlined by Tyler Herro and a plethora of draft picks.
But it wasn’t for a lack of a compelling package.
Boston offered star Jaylen Brown and two first-rounders to the Bucks in an effort to land the two-time MVP and 10-time All-Star, according to ESPN.
The presence of Brown would’ve allowed Milwaukee — who won the title with Antetokounmpo in 2021 but has been sucked into years of sagas and trade scenarios since — to be more competitive in the present, but the Bucks instead opted for the return that brought “more flexibility and big-picture approach with controlled contracts and long-term competitiveness,” according to ESPN.
Brown, a five-time All-Star who helped the Celtics win the 2024 title and averaged 28.7 points last season, addressed the trade rumors earlier Monday on Twitch, saying, “To all the people that’s doubted me, that want me to do this, or want me [traded], you’re turning me into a monster,” Brown said on the stream.
For most of last season, as Tatum recovered from a torn Achilles, Brown got an opportunity to be the face of the Celtics, to be the focal point of the offense, to be the one — alone — in the spotlight instead of sharing it with another superstar.
Instead, the Celtics were the finalist that lost out on the generational talent, who now instantly turns Miami back into an Eastern Conference contender even with Tyler Herro going back to Milwaukee and the Heat coming off a 2025-26 season where they missed the playoffs altogether.
Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, the No. 13 pick in this year’s draft, a 2033 second-round pick and a pick swap in 2030 all went back to the Bucks, too, according to ESPN.
Bobby Portis was shipped to Miami alongside Antetokounmpo.
And now, with Antetokounmpo no longer an option and a major shake-up to their core no longer a realistic scenario, the Celtics will need to rely on Brown and Tatum again after a disappointing first-round exit in the postseason.
