We are in the 11th hour for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
With nearly 24 hours until the 2026 NBA Draft, the entire basketball world awaits where the two-time MVP gets sent. And two fierce rivals appear to be the finalists: The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.
While the Heat have long been viewed as the frontrunner for Antetokounmpo, one of the big questions that existed was whether or not Boston was willing to include Jaylen Brown.
Two recent reports from NBA Insiders Marc Stein (The Stein Line) and Brian Windhorst (ESPN) suggest the Celtics have turned up the throttle over the last 24 hours.
“One league source, after this story was published, told The Stein Line that the Celtics managed to emerge from the weekend ‘with a real shot’ to win this race with a Jaylen Brown-centric offer, adding that Milwaukee has considered going ahead with a Boston swap even without a third-team facilitator,” Stein reported at 3:15 a.m. EST on Monday morning.
Windhorst confirmed those rumors on ESPN’s Get Up hours later.
“I was really skeptical that the Boston Celtics were going to go all in on this, and from what I understand, they have,” Windhorst said. “The Celtics and the Heat are the two teams aggressively going after Giannis. I would say they are the finalists. … [Boston] was very cautious about putting Jaylen Brown in this official, current offer. I believe they have. Jaylen Brown is on the table.”
The Miami Heat cannot compete with a Jaylen Brown-led offer:
Despite Boston’s push, the Heat are making one last push to acquire the 10-time All-Star, according to Stein.
“I don’t think the Heat are going to say ‘well, we gave it a good run,'” Stein said Monday on Sirius XM NBA Radio. “The Heat are not going to stop trying until they know that they’ve missed out on Giannis. It would be devastating for them. They went after KD, they went after Dame, this would be another left at the alter by a star situation. They’re gonna keep trying.”
If you’re looking at the two offers side-by-side, the Heat’s is more well-rounded. They have some semblance of young talent (Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr.) plus draft capital — including the No. 13 overall pick in this year’s draft.
However, Brown is five times as valuable as any single Heat asset included, contract notwithstanding. Brown, 29, is in the middle of his prime and was an MVP candidate last season. He averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists across 71 games, guiding the Celtics to 56 wins amid Jayson Tatum’s achilles injury that sidelined him for most of the season.
Acquiring Brown would create another inevitable dilemma as to whether he stays or is rerouted for more draft capital and assets that better fit Milwaukee’s timeline. But Bucks owner Jimmy Haslam wants a name; the Heat, respectfully, don’t have names other than ones on the back of their jerseys.
I fear including one or two more players won’t be enough to convince Milwaukee. But at this point, the Heat’s hand is forced. I will always have reservations about building a palatable team after. But offer whatever you need to acquire Antetokounmpo.
If it doesn’t. it’s going to get left behind in the clutter — just like you have in the years prior for stars of a lesser degree — but to your rival, no less.
Perhaps, next time, they will prepare better in terms of their asset accumulation … but they won’t because of their commandments, or whatever.
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If Boston wants him…it’s over.
Can the Heat trade for Jaylen Brown instead?
Everything that’s happening as this goes down to the wire makes you think about a lot of things. Many of the previous moves Riley has made have brought us to this moment and some are hanging over the Heat’s head because of some of the generous contracts that were given out are being made part of this trade. But, there is also the observation that this adding of JB to the mix makes little sense for the Bucks as they will still have trouble rebuilding around Brown. It only makes sense for them if they are flipping Brown. But, in that case, why is the Celtics offer that much more attractive? I can see the deal from the Celtics perspective however.
I think the Heat should change the deal from Jovic to Pelle but otherwise change nothing and let the chips fall as they may. ,
Left at the alter? Sure, anti-Heat wording. Dame and Giannis would be because the GM decided they wanted to go another route and not a player signing elsewhere. That would be left at the alter. KD the first time around we were left at the alter, but not the second time around with Houston. They wanted Ware. Anywho, we roll on if he goes to Boston.