Boston was already being watched as a possible Giannis Antetokounmpo landing spot before the February trade deadline, and that talk has not gone away. League sources told Sam Amick and Eric Nehm of The Athletic that the Celtics had expressed a level of interest in Antetokounmpo before the deadline, a sign that the team’s front office was at least willing to explore a move that could reshape the franchise.
The latest wave of jayson tatum trade rumors celtics chatter has grown out of everything around Boston except Tatum himself: an unexpected first-round playoff exit, a 3-1 series lead that slipped away against Philadelphia, and rival executives who now expect the Celtics to be aggressive in searching for roster upgrades. Jaylen Brown’s recent comments that 2025/26 is his favorite season also fueled speculation about whether he sees his long-term future in Boston, even though Brad Stevens and Brown have both said there is no discord between them. A Celtics source and a source close to Brown separately confirmed that there is no tension between the two sides.
Jake Fischer recently put Boston back into the conversation as a possible suitor for Antetokounmpo, though he also downplayed how serious the Celtics’ deadline interest was. Fischer added another wrinkle: Antetokounmpo may not be enthusiastic about joining Boston. That matters because Milwaukee would not move him unless it could land a maximum haul of picks from the next two drafts, and any trade would almost certainly force the Bucks into a rebuild.
The pick math narrows the field. Golden State, Houston and Toronto each have 7 future first-round picks until 2032 and 2 combined in the upcoming draft and next year’s draft. Boston has 6 future first-round picks until 2032 and 2 combined in the upcoming draft and next year’s draft, while Orlando has 5 future first-round picks until 2032 and 2 combined in those same two drafts. Portland and Miami each have 7 and 6 future first-round picks until 2032, respectively, but only 1 combined in the upcoming draft and next year’s draft, which effectively removes them as landing spots under Milwaukee’s stated price.
Portland’s case is still unusual because it controls multiple Bucks first-round picks, and Milwaukee owns its own picks back in Portland, including selections in 2028 and 2030. That gives the Trail Blazers one of the more complicated pick sheets in the league, but not necessarily the cleanest path to the kind of immediate draft return Milwaukee would demand. For the Celtics, the question is no longer whether they will be linked to stars; it is whether Boston can turn that interest into a deal without emptying the cupboard or betting that Antetokounmpo would actually want to be there.
Tracy McGrady once said he felt frustrated with the organization, a line that echoes the kind of pressure any star-driven pursuit would bring in Boston. The Celtics have the assets to stay in the conversation, but the market around Antetokounmpo suggests that being mentioned and being able to complete a deal are two very different things.
