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Jaylen Brown may be the trade chip that helps the Celtics land Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Boston Celtics have been involved in a handful of trade rumors early on this offseason, the majority of which have revolved around Jaylen Brown. For the most part, folks around the league have wondered whether or not the front office would be willing to include Brown in a potential trade for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Well, we now have an answer to that question.

New reports have emerged suggesting that the C’s are going “all-in” for Antetokounmpo, which includes putting Brown on the table in their trade offer for “The Greek Freak.” And while that may seem like an obvious development, Brown’s inclusion in Boston’s Antetokounmpo trade package could wind up being the difference in these negotiations.

Why Jaylen Brown is So Important to Celtics’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Talks

Brown is fresh off the best season of his career, and you can make a case that his trade value has never been higher. With Jayson Tatum missing most of the year recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, Brown stepped up and carried the load on offense. The end result saw him turn in an All-NBA season (28.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 5.1 APG, 47.7 FG%) and lead the C’s to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

While his name has popped up in trade rumors frequently, Boston hasn’t ever truly been sold on dealing him, even if Antetokounmpo were to be coming back the other way. That has changed very quickly, though, as the Celtics are making a heavy push for Antetokounmpo right before the 2026 NBA Draft, with Brown being a part of their trade offer.

The inclusion of Brown may seem obvious, as the C’s really don’t have any way to beat out the Miami Heat (the other finalist for Antetokounmpo) without including him. Now that he’s on the table, though, Brown’s presence alone reportedly could be the deciding factor in determining which trade offer the Bucks accept.

“If the Bucks indeed choose Boston’s offer over Miami’s, sources say now, Milwaukee ownership’s insistence on getting a bona fide star (Jaylen Brown) back for Giannis would be among the deciding factors … as much as the Bucks want to hold two lottery picks in Tuesday’s draft,” NBA insider Marc Stein reported in a post on X.

Should the Celtics Trade Jaylen Brown for Giannis Antetokounmpo?

GettyThe Celtics are going “all-in” for Giannis Antetokounmpo, as Jaylen Brown is being included as part of their trade offer

For much of the start of the offseason, the Heat have been the presumed frontrunner for Antetokounmpo, but now that Brown is on the table, that changes everything. Rather than potentially being forced to rebuild if they trade him to Miami, Milwaukee could conceivably still contend moving forward with Brown leading its team if it picked him up from Boston.

As for whether or not this is a move the Celtics should actually make, it’s a toss-up. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, but at his best, Antetokounmpo is a better player than Brown. That alone may be enough to justify a trade for him, but how much would the C’s have to give up alongside Brown in order to bring Antetokounmpo to town? That question could single-handedly determine how this trade saga comes to a close.