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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 10: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks sits for a timeout during a game against the Boston Celtics at Fiserv Forum on November 10, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The Boston Celtics are no longer merely lurking in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.

They’re one of the final two teams standing.

ESPN insider Shams Charania reported Monday on Get Up that the Milwaukee Bucks have narrowed their discussions to the Celtics and Miami Heat and that a resolution is expected before Tuesday night’s NBA Draft.

“Greeny, sources tell me a trade and a resolution is coming for the Milwaukee Bucks with Giannis Antetokounmpo before the NBA draft on Tuesday night,” Charania said. “The Bucks are in serious conversations with two finalists, the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics.”

The update confirms what had increasingly become apparent around the league: Boston’s pursuit of Antetokounmpo is not exploratory. It is very real.

Even more significant for the Celtics, Charania added that Boston is one of Antetokounmpo’s preferred destinations.

Jaylen Brown Remains Centerpiece of Celtics’ Offer

Charania provided fresh details about the framework of Boston’s proposal.

“With Boston, it’s a Jaylen Brown-led package; it’s around a veteran player, a superstar-caliber player,” Charania said.

Brown could prove to be the pivotal piece in this long-drawn trade saga.

Unlike Miami’s package, which is centered around young players and draft assets, Boston’s offer allows Milwaukee to remain competitive immediately.

Brown, 29, remains one of the league’s premier two-way players. The five-time All-Star and 2024 NBA Finals MVP is under contract for approximately $183 million over the next three seasons and would instantly become the face of Milwaukee’s next chapter.

Recent reporting has suggested the Bucks may value that scenario.

HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported over the weekend that Milwaukee is considering keeping Brown if acquired rather than rerouting him elsewhere for additional draft compensation.

Longtime Heat insider Ira Winderman similarly reported that Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam wants a player who can become “the face of their next era” should Antetokounmpo depart.

Few available players fit that description better than Brown.

Celtics’ Path Suddenly Looks Simpler

Charania also delivered another potentially important development.

“It is going to be a one-to-one deal. It’s going to consist of Milwaukee and likely one of these two teams,” he said.

That effectively eliminates the need for a complicated multi-team framework.

Previous reporting had speculated that Boston might require a third team to absorb Brown’s contract and supply Milwaukee with additional draft assets.

According to Charania, that is not the direction negotiations are currently taking.

The simplification could work in Boston’s favor.

Rather than navigating multiple franchises and competing agendas, the Celtics can focus entirely on convincing Milwaukee that a Brown-centric package represents the best path forward.

Giannis Would Address Boston’s Biggest Weakness

GettyGiannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks defends Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers in the second half at Fiserv Forum on October 26, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

From Boston’s perspective, the appeal of Antetokounmpo is obvious.

The Celtics’ season ended in stunning fashion after blowing a 3-1 first-round series lead to Philadelphia.

As the series progressed, Joel Embiid increasingly exposed Boston’s lack of size, interior dominance and rim pressure.

There are few players in basketball capable of addressing those shortcomings more dramatically than Antetokounmpo.

The 31-year-old remains one of the NBA’s most dominant two-way forces and would instantly reshape Boston’s defense, transition attack and championship ceiling.

Whether the Celtics ultimately land Antetokounmpo remains uncertain.

But after months of speculation and days of escalating reports, one reality has become impossible to ignore:

The Celtics are not outsiders in this race.

With the NBA Draft less than 24 hours away, they appear to be one of only two teams with a legitimate chance to acquire one of the game’s biggest stars.