NBA trade rumors: Antetokounmpo is sent to the Celtics, Jaylen Brown and Lillard form the Bucks in the backcourt double gun

The Boston Celtics are considered a potential buyer to sign Antetokounmpo (Giannis Antetokounmpo) from the Milwaukee Bucks if they choose to compete. The Bucks still have Damian Lillard and other players who may be hard to trade, and staying competitive with another real All-Star may be their way out.

Trading Antetokounmpo may run out of several teams' assets, which will be another rebuilding situation for the two-time MVP, who is 30 years old and has limited chances to win the championship at his peak. Insider Brian Windhorst raised the realistic possibility that Antetokounmpo would prefer to move to the Eastern Conference rival, believing the Celtics have the ability to negotiate a deal with Milwaukee. "You have to see which teams can trade to get Giannis, the Bucks will accept, and the other side of the deal is a competitive team," Windhorst said on ESPN's Get Up program Thursday. "So, Boston should be on this list." The Bucks won't have direct contact with the Celtics, but if this is a team listed as a potential destination for Antetokounmpo and still persists, then both teams are likely to make a deal.

Celtics are a second round team, so they can't gather contracts to match their salary. However, if a third team is involved, the deal will go smoothly.

NBA trading rumors: How Antetokounmpo came to the Celtics at the cost of Jaylen Brown

One of the most likely candidates to get Antetokounmpo to join the Boston Celtics is Jaylen Brown. He will pay almost the same salary as the Bucks' superstar next year, at $53.1 million. Giannis' annual salary is $54.1 million, so it is impossible to trade directly.

However, the Celtics have movable contracts and potential draft picks to satisfy the Bucks' deal. In this case, they need a third team, and that is the Brooklyn Nets. According to The Athletic, the Nets are willing to facilitate trades during the offseason and collect assets for unwanted contracts.

"There are signs that Brooklyn may be willing to use its open cap space as a tool to execute multiple team trading options this summer," league sources said. The contracts of the Bucks and Celtics are almost expiring, and the Nets won't mind using the sign to exchange them because they have too much cap space. Here is a potential three-team deal that opens the way for Antetokounmpo to transfer the Celtics and Jaylen Brown to the Bucks:

Celtics get:

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Maxwell Lewis

Bucks get:

Jaylen Brown

Nicholas Duncan

2025 No. 28 draft pick (from the Celtics)

2025 second round 32 draft pick (from the Celtics)

2026 first round pick exchange ( By Celtics)

2027 first-round pick (from the Celtics)

Nets get:

Pat Connaughton

2025 second-round pick (from the Bucks)

2031 first-round pick (through the Celtics)

{The Celtics traded a 2031 first-round draft pick to the Nets to promote the joining of Milwaukee's Nicholas Clarkston. With Brooke Lopez unlikely to return, Clarkston may be the Bucks' long-term fixed candidate at center position.

Assuming that Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton chose their contracts in the offseason, the Nets will absorb their expiring contracts, as well as traded assets like Cristaps Porzingis to get a draft pick. Porzingis has one year left in contract. The Celtics increased $7.5 million under the second luxury tax line after reducing their salary cap by $27.5 million. The Bucks got the excellent performance Jaylen Brown, who started leading his own team after being Jason Tatum’s deputy. The Bucks have won a draft pick for future trades or internal development, and the 28-year-old Brown makes the Bucks younger.

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