Giannis Antetokounmpo to Celtics Has ‘Real Shot' Before NBA Draft: Report
While there had been a handful of teams mentioned as potential suitors for Giannis Antetokounmpo, it appears it has settled down ahead of the NBA Draft to just two: the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics.
Both teams have the necessary ingredients for a trade to happen. Each has at least one star player to include, and potentially the draft picks that the Milwaukee Bucks want. It appeared the Heat might have the strong edge in landing the Greek Freak, but that may have changed over the weekend.
According to Marc Stein, the Celtics have emerged “with a real shot” of landing Giannis for their roster before the NBA Draft. That trade remains based on including All-Star Jaylen Brown in the package.
It also would likely include other pieces of the deal, such as an NBA Draft pick. The Celtics currently hold the No. 27 pick in the first round, followed by the No. 40 pick in the second round.
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There had been rumors swirling that the Bucks and Heat might be moving towards a three-team deal, potentially sending Tyler Herro to the Detroit Pistons to bring Giannis to Miami. That could still happen, but based on Stein’s recent remarks (via league sources), the Bucks are also open to making a trade with Boston without a “third-team facilitator.”
Giannis would join a Celtics team that includes fellow All-Star Jayson Tatum, as they look to contend in an Eastern Conference that is very winnable, even after the New York Knicks seemed to make light work of the conference in this year’s championship run.
It would certainly boost the Celtics’ frontcourt, and one would wonder if they’d be able to keep Derrick White as a key ballhandler for their starting lineup, especially with Brown traded. They also have an emerging star with guard Payton Pritchard.
The latest rumors arrive a day before the 2026 NBA Draft, set for Brooklyn, New York. By now, most fans are expecting that this trade will happen and are likely getting fed up over the constant reports about the select few teams pursuing the former NBA MVP and champion.
However, the good news is that it appears this is a trade that should occur before or at the draft, giving Giannis a new landing spot. All indications suggest he’s happy to play for either Boston or Miami.
That said, it might not be the case for Jaylen Brown, as there is some chatter that the Celtics star wouldn’t be content being a star player on his own with the Milwaukee Bucks. So don’t be surprised if Milwaukee ends up with another All-Star and champion who wants to go to a contending team more to their liking.
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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 9:01 AM.