Boston Celtics may have reopened the door to landing Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason
Boston Celtics may have reopened the door to landing Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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It seemed like the Boston Celtics were going to be at a crossroad this offseason with a huge decision: whether or not to pursue Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
It seemed like they were in second place to the Miami Heat, but now, they might be a true frontrunner once again for the superstar.
Boston may actually be a serious contender for Giannis
© Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
According to Celtics insider Bill Simmons, the Celtics are going to pursue Giannis, and Giannis does want to be in Boston.
“I thought Boston was out of this. I know Boston was out of this. I was wondering if they were playing possum or not. I think they were playing a little possum. I think they are in on Giannis,” Simmons said.
On top of that, it appears Miami is also very concerned that Boston is still in the race, according to a report from Jake Fischer.
“This much is clear: Boston is believed to be a potential suitor that genuinely concerns Miami,” Fischer wrote.
Giannis would complete the Celtics’ roster
Mar 2, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives against Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (30) in the first half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
Giannis’ fit in Boston has been discussed a lot, because it really is perfect. The Celtics’ playstyle, coined “Mazzulla Ball”, was created by coach Joe Mazzulla to increase the amount of threes the Celtics take to overpower an opponent.
However, in the past two seasons, teams have found ways to stop it, by basically sitting on the arc, and allowing Boston to drive by if they wanted. The C’s don’t though, and force contested threes which puts them at a disadvantage.
Giannis would be the cure to this. He is arguably the greatest inside presence in the NBA, so if other teams continue their old defensive schemes, Giannis gets easy drives to the basket. If they collapse, he kicks out to a shooter.
Boston has the assets
Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Boston star Jaylen Brown would be the top piece Boston could send for Antetokounmpo, and a couple picks that they currently own.
If they want to make it easier on themselves, they could make a three-team trade. Someone like the Portland Trail Blazers, who own a boatload of picks and want to be a contender, makes sense.
Send Brown there, Giannis to Boston, Milwaukee gets a star and a bunch of picks, and everybody wins.
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