Is Celtics trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo worth sacrificing Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown’s next era?

When Boston Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown called 2025-26 his “favorite year” on a live stream after losing Game 7 of their first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo praised Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla. The two offseason comments from Brown and Antetokounmpo would set an immediate tone in the aftermath of Boston’s first-round collapse after entering the playoffs with one of the best records in the NBA.

In the wake of losing Game 7 without All-Star Jayson Tatum, Brown clearly enjoyed being the number one option. He let it be known in a manner no one anticipated after watching Jaylen call a first-round exit the most fun he’s ever had. At the same time, Antetokounmpo giving Mazzulla his flowers for instilling an admirable Celtics culture suggested it’s one Giannis wouldn’t mind adapting to, as the future Hall of Fame forward continues his hunt for a second championship.

NBA fans can argue over the legitimacy of both notions, but if both are true, what does that mean for Brown and Antetokounmpo’s respective futures? Is trading for Antetokounmpo the best course of action for the Celtics if it means parting ways with Brown?

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens will be forced to answer these questions over the summer. His job is to reconstruct a roster built to compete against All-Stars Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and the Knicks — a team that’s two wins away from capturing their first championship in 53 years.

Brad Stevens’ fearless approach to revamping the Celtics’ roster

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has proven he’s not afraid to pull the trigger on a difficult decision. For the betterment of the team, Stevens will do whatever it takes. This is the same guy who traded Marcus Smart for Kristaps Porzingis and two first-round picks in 2023. A difficult move to make at the time, considering Smart was the heart and soul of the squad and a fan favorite.

Even Smart’s biggest advocates would agree it was the right move, especially today, three years removed from a trade that crystallized a championship roster ahead of the 2023-24 season. Is Stevens in a similar situation to Brown? Do the Celtics need to make a blockbuster trade to compete with the Knicks and the rest of the Eastern Conference?

With tears in his eyes, Stevens justified trading Smart as pushing the Celtics forward with the likes of a stretch big man who could protect the rim. It increased Boston’s chances of winning a title. And they did. The Celtics’ 2024 championship solidified All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as one of the most successful duos in franchise history, with a window to win multiple titles. Is there a deal that would require sacrificing Brown and make Boston better?

Two removed from the 2024 title, how wide is Tatum and Brown’s championship window, considering how much has changed since then? Porzingis plays for the Golden State Warriors, his third team in two seasons. Jrue Holiday, Stevens’ final piece to a championship roster, is a member of the Portland Blazers. Al Horford left via free agency for a reason we won’t know until he retires, and Luke Kornet is competing in the NBA Finals with the San Antonio Spurs as Victor Wembanyama’s backup.

Much like his trades for Porzingis and Holiday, Stevens’ next significant move to bolster the Celtics’ roster will be unforeseen and address the team’s shortcomings in the playoffs, such as size, athleticism, and shooting. Perhaps the kind of move that doesn’t involve Brown, but improves the All-Star tandem’s supporting cast instead.

Is Giannis Antetokounmpo the Celtics’ solution to compete vs. Knicks?

Since 2024, the Celtics haven’t come close to reaching the conference finals. That’s why it’s so easy to get wrapped up in the rush of the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, with the Celtics reportedly considered a wild card to acquire the two-time MVP, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Eric Nehm.

“I also don’t take for granted how good we’ve been when we’ve been full. When we’ve been full, and all on the court and playing together, we’ve been a good basketball team,” Stevens said at the team’s exit interviews. “Those are hard to get, so we just have to be better around the margins.”

However, keeping the Brown-Jayson Tatum tandem intact while improving their supporting cast feels like the most likely route for Brad Stevens and the Celtics. It’s a championship-proven duo with two-plus years remaining on their current max deals, both still under 30. Trading for Antetokounmpo feels like a desperate move for a team with its back against the wall, albeit with an expiring contract or an unhappy player; fortunately for Stevens, the Celtics have neither.

Brown and Tatum’s respective max contract extensions are the kinds of investments NBA teams would kill to make in two franchise cornerstones. It’s not the same roster flexibility as most teams’, but the Celtics have options beyond landing Antetokounmpo.

Stevens’ massive $27.7 million trade exception will come in handy this summer. Plus, a $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception (MLE) as the Celtics approach the free-agency market. Upon the Celtics’ roster evaluation, giving Stevens a better sense of which players are best for the team’s future, he’ll decide which are most expendable, and maximize his return on potentially trading players such as Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser, which combine for roughly $49 million worth of salary.

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown’s new Celtics era

Celtics All-Stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum’s success can’t be overlooked, considering they have five conference finals appearances, two NBA Finals appearances, and one title amid an eight-year run. It is as successful a run as most teams would kill for from its leading All-Stars, who are still both under 30. While it isn’t the dynasty fans envisioned after 2024, the window for Boston to win more titles is still cracked open.

Coming off the best season of his career, imagine how Brown will respond in 2026-27. Fueled by critics calling him childish for complaining about the officials and other comments in the stream, Jaylen could return even better than last season. In the end, watching Brown alongside Tatum, who will be 17 months removed from his Achilles injury, should deepen Stevens’ intrigue about how dominant the Celtics’ tandem can be, and discourage him from trading Jaylen.

Finding the best way to maximize the talent around his All-NBA stars will be the ultimate challenge this summer. Unfortunately, Celtics fans will look back on 2025-26 as the season they blew a 3-1 lead in the opening round of the playoffs, and so will Brad Stevens.

Its postseason success judges teams. The Celtics, without Giannis Antetokounmpo, will do whatever it takes to return to the NBA Finals for a third time in five years, which feels more likely with Brown and Tatum leading the way.

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