[Amick] League sources say the Blazers would have serious interest in Jaylen Brown if the Celtics made him available. Similarly, league sources say the Timberwolves have strong interest in Derrick White. The Celtics are among many teams interested in Trey Murphy III if they don’t land Antetokounmpo.
With the Milwaukee Bucks’ self-imposed deadline of Tuesday’s first round of the NBA Draft fast approaching, there remains some mystery as to whether the Bucks will, in fact, follow the playbook laid out by co-owner Jimmy Haslam.
The Boston Celtics, as has been the case for some time now, have serious interest and remain a significant threat to derail Miami Heat president Pat Riley’s plans in the 11th hour of negotiations. If, that is, the Celtics are willing to do what it takes before this (unofficial) buzzer sounds to get a deal done.
Of all the questions that remain unanswered on this front, and which will likely dictate how it all ends, that might top the list. The Celtics have gone to great lengths to avoid the elephant in the room here, but Jaylen Brown would need to be part of any deal for Antetokounmpo. And if Boston had its way, it seems, the conversation would start and end there with a one-for-one swap of fellow All-Stars who are still in their respective primes (Antetokounmpo is 31; Brown is 29). Lest anyone forgets, Brown is coming off his best season yet, finishing sixth in MVP voting.
It’s unclear if the Bucks would look to build around Brown as a centerpiece, as many rival executives have recently predicted, or perhaps rebuild by sending him elsewhere for young players and picks. But whichever path they might select, it’s widely believed that Brown alone wouldn’t be enough for Milwaukee.
Boston could add up to three future first-round picks in the deal, and the fact that Antetokounmpo is known to be comfortable signing an extension with the Celtics should, in theory, compel them to go all-in here. After all, Antetokounmpo is a champion, two-time MVP and former Defensive Player of the Year whose overall body of work far exceeds Brown’s. All-time greats who plan on dominating for years to come just don’t hit the market all that often.
Then again, the Celtics’ desperation level simply isn’t at the level of the Heat’s. By all accounts, Boston could forge ahead with the Brown-Jayson Tatum dynamic duo and look for other ways to upgrade the frontcourt. To that end, league sources say the Celtics are among the many teams with interest in the New Orleans Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III (if they don’t land Antetokounmpo).
Speaking of Plan Bs, league sources say the Portland Trail Blazers would have serious interest in Brown if the Celtics made him available. The Blazers have been among the suitors for Antetokounmpo since the February trade deadline but appear to be on the outside looking in at the moment. Similarly, league sources say the Minnesota Timberwolves — whose Antetokounmpo pursuit also appears to have cooled — have strong interest in the Celtics’ Derrick White.