How Celtics Lost Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Sweepstakes to Heat

The Heat acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo on Monday into Tuesday on the east coast, acquiring him alongside Bucks wing Bobby Portis in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis and three first-round picks, including No. 13 in tonight’s first round. Milwaukee also received a future pick swap in the deal.

Shams Charania reported that the Celtics offered Jaylen Brown alongside two first-rounders, which stood over time, according to other reports. Miami wanted additional young players, at least including Baylor Scheierman and Hugo González, and more draft capital from Boston alongside Brown. The Celtics drew a line, despite an indication by Charania that there could’ve been a middle-ground in negotiations. Antetokounmpo ultimately only agreed to sign extensions with Boston and Miami, who the Bucks negotiated with in the final days without third teams involved.

That put a significant onus, for whatever reason, on the Celtics to part ways with their best cost-controlled young players, and their ability to add more for the foreseeable future. Alongside a 2028 swap owed to San Antonio and  a 2029 first sent to Portland, Boston would’ve depleted its first-round pick allotment into next decade for Antetokounmpo. Given their perceived value of Brown, new cap rules that prohibit expensive team-building and flat lottery odds through at least the end of the decade, that proved too much for the Celtics.

Nonetheless, Boston could face consequences for not getting a deal done, depending on how rival Miami builds out its team, currently sporting a thin rotation around Davion Mitchell, Pelle Larsson, Norman Powell, if retained in free agency, Andrew Wiggins, Bam Adebayo and Nikola Jović. More pressing for the Celtics, who still have one of the East’s stronger rosters, will be how Brown reacts to his inclusion in another reported trade offer. Charania, among other top national insiders, expressed how Boston aggressively pursued Antetokounmpo around a Brown offer. Other reports indicated Brown being content with his inclusion and the resolution of his Celtics tenure.

Now, he’s still here and it’s uncertain how he or the team will react next. Brian Windhorst said on ESPN on Tuesday morning that he expects a bidding war by teams for Brown to begin ahead of tonight’s draft, and while the outcome could take some time, top draft capital could entice the Celtics as soon as today. That, alongside other reports, points toward Boston pursuing additional moves with Brown, who’s owed roughly $183-million over the next three years. He’s unable to reach free agency until 2029.

Multiple reports following the Antetokounmpo trade noted that Bucks ownership played a role in passing on a Brown-centered deal, fearing another trade request saga like Antetokounmpo’s. Marc Spears had previously reported that Brown would not like to join the Bucks, who could’ve maintained relevancy and competitiveness playing around him under new rules that disincentivize tanking.

Miami’s offer, however aggressive given their limited resources, appeared surmountable, leaving questions about how the Celtics fell short given their intentness on landing him, and what next steps they’ll take to improve their roster. Brown is eligible for a two-year, roughly $140 million extension beginning in July, potentially an option to repairing the relationship if he stays in Boston.