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The Boston Celtics reportedly made a push to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Bucks ahead of the trade deadline

The Boston Celtics are going to be busy this offseason after they bowed out of the 2026 NBA Playoffs in the first round. Rumors have quickly begun swirling around them, and one name the team continues to be linked to is Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The expectation is that Antetokounmpo is set to get traded after a tension-filled campaign with the Bucks, and suddenly, Boston has emerged as a realistic landing spot for him. Not only does the newest report on Antetokounmpo seemingly confirm that he will be traded this offseason, but it also provided a massive update on the Celtics’ interest in the former league MVP.

Celtics Tried to Acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo at the Trade Deadline

Considering the low expectations Boston entered the season with, the 2025-26 campaign should be considered a win for the team. But in a championship-crazed culture, the Celtics throwing away a 3-1 series lead against the Philadelphia 76ers has been considered a massive disappointment, especially since they just got mercilessly swept out of the playoffs by the New York Knicks in the second round.

Could the manner in which the C’s got eliminated from the playoffs impact their offseason plans? Definitely, and that’s likely a big reason why so many trade rumors have begun to swirl around Jaylen Brown, even though he just put together an MVP-caliber campaign. Pretty much anything is on the table for Brad Stevens and the rest of the front office over the next few months.

That includes swinging a blockbuster trade for Antetokounmpo, who appears set to be on the move over the next few weeks. The Celtics largely haven’t been considered one of his top suitors to this point, but a stunning revelation could change that. According to NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN, Boston was one of the teams that made a push for Antetokounmpo ahead of the trade deadline earlier this year.

“The NBA playoffs represent another landmark point for the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes,” Charania reported. “Sources said postseason teams such as the Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers pursued Antetokounmpo at the February deadline, and their finishes to the campaign will play a major factor in their aggressiveness to trade for him.”

Could the Celtics Actually Trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo?

GettyMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – OCTOBER 22: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts against the Washington Wizards during the second quarter at Fiserv Forum on October 22, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

To this point, the speculation surrounding a potential Celtics trade for Antetokounmpo has been tepid at best, but this revelation could change things. Boston has already shown legit interest in Antetokounmpo, and after crashing out of the playoffs sooner than expected, that could push the team to make a real run for his services.

Even with the Bucks publicly shopping Antetokounmpo, he’s going to cost an arm and a leg on the trade market, as a handful of teams are expected to show interest in him. A lot would have to happen in order for the C’s to land Antetokounmpo, but it appears as if they could quickly become one of his top landing spots this offseason.