As the NBA Draft draws closer, there is high anticipation that a blockbuster trade featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo could be in the offing.
The Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics are rumored to be leading the chase for the Milwaukee Bucks forward. ESPN Insider Brian Windhorst has now shared his prediction on whether the Celtics could part ways with Jaylen Brown this offseason.
ESPN Insider Provides Latest On Jaylen Brown’s Celtics Future Amid Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Buzz
Brown is widely considered a player the Celtics could trade if they acquire Antetokounmpo. However, Windhorst believes the guard is more likely than not to start next season with the Celtics.
“I understand that there’s this heat around Jaylen Brown and the Celtics. Brad Stevens is a cool customer. He doesn’t act rashly… I know there’s a possibility the Celtics don’t want to give him an extension this summer. I am not a believer that Brown is not going to be a Celtic at the start of the season. I believe there’s a very good chance he’s staying put with Jayson Tatum. Now, the other moves the Celtics might make is a different story,” Windhorst said on the “Brian Windhorst and the Hoop Collective” podcast.
Brown is due to earn $57,078,728 for the upcoming season, while Antetokounmpo will have a base salary of $58,456,566, making a direct trade between the two feasible. However, the Bucks will likely need a third team to take on Brown’s contract to facilitate a trade for Antetokounmpo.
The 6-foot-6 guard is coming off a career year with the Celtics, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game last season. He took on a leading role in the Celtics roster with Jayson Tatum sidelined due to injury and also earned a nod in the All-NBA second team. However, he has stirred some controversy since the conclusion of the Celtics’ season with comments on social media.
Amid all this, Brown is also set to become eligible for a $142 million-worth extension with the Celtics over 2 years. His current supermax contract runs through the 2028-29 season, leaving Celtics’ president of basketball operations Brad Stevens with a major decision on his hands.
The Celtics will likely have to trade Brown if they are to land Antetokounmpo this offseason. So Windhorst’s comments about Brown likely starting next season with the Celtics will add further intrigue to what has been one of the longest-running trade sagas in the recent history of the NBA.
