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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 25: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on during an official review during the fourth quarter of a game against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden on December 25, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics and Giannis Antetokounmpo saga was supposed to have a deadline. Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam said back in May that resolving the situation before the NBA Draft on June 23 made the most sense for Milwaukee. That window is closing fast, and according to a new report, the timeline may be slipping well beyond it.
NBA insider Chris Haynes said this week that the trade could drag all the way into free agency.
GettyBoston Celtics trade target Giannis Antetokounmpo with Jayson Tatum in April 2026.
Speaking on the Deals and Dunks podcast, Haynes offered a notably more cautious outlook than the urgency that has dominated recent reporting.
“This could drag on until July,” Haynes said. He added that Boston no longer seems like a promising destination based on what he is hearing, though he still believes Antetokounmpo will be moved at some point this offseason.
That timeline shift matters. The longer this drags, the more it suggests Milwaukee simply does not have an offer on the table that satisfies their asking price, from either Boston or the Miami Heat, the two teams most frequently mentioned as frontrunners.
Chris Haynes on Giannis:
“From what I’m hearing this could drag on into free agency. This could drag on until July…. Boston seems a little bit from what I’m hearing and gauging, Boston doesn’t seem a promising destination…. I do still believe he will be moved this offseason
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Celtics are growing frustrated with how the situation has unfolded. Part of that frustration stems from the constant reporting involving Jaylen Brown, which Fischer suggested may be straining Boston’s relationship with him regardless of whether a trade ever materializes.
That tension creates real risk for the Celtics even if Antetokounmpo never arrives. Brown and Jayson Tatum have already proven they can win at the highest level together, reaching the Finals twice and winning a championship in 2024. Boston does not need Antetokounmpo to remain a contender. The duo they already have has delivered.
The draft deadline that once felt significant is now looking more like a soft target than a hard cutoff. Haynes’ reporting suggests this could stretch well into the summer, and Boston’s path forward looks murkier than it did just a few days ago.
If the Celtics ultimately drop out of the race, it would not be a surprise. They already have a proven championship duo. Antetokounmpo would be an upgrade, but he is not a necessity.
July may tell the real story here. The June 23 draft could simply come and go without any resolution.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
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