After failing to complete a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Celtics may be searching for another blockbuster deal.
Jaylen Brown was reportedly the centerpiece of Boston's package for Antetokounmpo, who is on his way to Miami after spending 13 seasons in Milwaukee. Even with an Antetokounmpo trade off the table, Brown could still be on the move, as the Celtics haven't shut the door on an offseason deal.
Brown is coming off the best individual season of his career. He averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in 2025-26, earning All-NBA Second Team honors. Has he already played his last game in a Boston uniform?
Here are the latest updates on talks surrounding the Celtics star.
Jaylen Brown trade rumors tracker
Wednesday, June 24
Celtics actively engaged in Jaylen Brown talks
On the second night of the 2026 NBA Draft, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Celtics are "actively engaged" in trade talks surrounding Brown.
"There is a sense of purpose from teams around the league that they feel from the Celtics in these conversations," Charania said. "That does not mean, though, that a deal is guaranteed because Jaylen Brown does have three years left on his contract. ... His status is very much up in the air in Boston."
Reporting for ESPN NBA Draft show on the Boston Celtics actively engaged in trade talks surrounding Jaylen Brown: pic.twitter.com/pQtHp1zJNm
Brown signed a five-year supermax contract extension with the Celtics in 2023. That deal runs through the 2028-29 season and does not include a player or team option. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2029.
The contract carries a base salary and cap hit of $57,078,728 in 2026-27, per Spotrac.
Boston selected Houston's Chris Cenac Jr. with the No. 27 pick in the draft, adding a young, talented player to the roster, and on Wednesday night have the No. 40 overall pick in the second round. The Celtics won't be able to acquire an elite prospect that far down the draft board, but they have still found valuable players like Payton Pritchard, Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez in that range.
Of course, Boston could include those picks in a trade package if the team is focused on adding a big name following the failed pursuit of Antetokounmpo.
Follow along right here for the full list of Celtics picks from the 2026 NBA Draft.
Celtics NBA Draft picks 2026
Round
Pick
Player
Position
School
1
27
Chris Cenac Jr.
PF
Houston
2
40 (from Bucks via Magic)
Dillon Mitchell
F
St. John's
NBA Draft trade details 2026
Wednesday, June 24
Magic send Felix Okapara to Wizards
Orlando drafted Tennessee center Felix Okpara with the No. 46 overall selection of the night, but he has been traded to the Wizards for picks 51 and 60.
The 60th pick was then traded to the Bucks for cash considerations.
Bulls trade Braden Smith to Pacers
Per ESPN's Shams Charania, the Bulls selected the NCAA's all-time assists leader Braden Smith, but then traded him to the Indiana Pacers for Kam Jones, future swaps and cash.
Thunder trade Ryan Conwell to Heat
After selecting Louisville's Ryan Conwell with the No. 37 pick, the Thunder traded him to the Miami Heat for pick 41 and cash, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
Knicks trade No. 31 pick to Rockets
After acquiring three second round picks on Tuesday night, the Knicks make another move, trading their first pick of the night to the Rockets. Per ESPN's Shams Charania, New York traded picks 31 and 55 for 39, 53 and a 2029 second rounder that belonged to the Kings.
Lakers acquire No. 56 pick from Bulls
Minutes before the second day of the NBA Draft gets underway, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired the No. 56 pick from the Chicago Bulls, sending cash back the other way, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
Tuesday, June 23
Knicks trade first round pick to Mavericks, pick up second rounders
After selecting Sergio De Larrea with the No. 25 pick earlier in the night, the Knicks send him to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Koa Peat — who Dallas selected with the No. 30 pick — and two second-round picks. Then, Peat was traded to the Phoenix Suns as the Knicks picked up three second-rounders and cash; Peat gets to stay in his home state of Arizona, where he also starred for the Wildcats.
Kings select Alex Karaban
The Kings traded for pick 29 from the Cleveland Cavaliers, sending a future second-round pick along with No. 34 to move up. With it, Sacramento selcted Alex Karaban, a two-time national champion at UConn, to pair with Darius Acuff, who was picked by Sacramento earlier in the night.
Spurs trade up to select Tarris Reed
After the Denver Nuggets selected UConn's Tarris Reed with the No. 26 pick, the pick was traded to San Antonio for pick No. 35 and two second round picks. The reigning Western Conference champions one of the strongest players in college basketball to its frontcourt.
Lakers trade up with Knicks
In another trade, the NBA champions New York Knicks trade the No. 24 pick to the Los Angeles Lakers, allowing the Lakers to move up and select Cameron Carr. In exchange, the Knicks get the No. 25 pick and cash considerations.
Thunder trade for Bennett Stirtz
We have our first trade on draft night, with Iowa's Bennett Stirtz getting drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies. But, he is immediately traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for two first round picks.
Sources: Memphis is trading No. 16 pick Bennett Stirtz to the Oklahoma City Thunder for two second-round picks.
The first round of the NBA Draft will air live on ABC and ESPN. The second round of the draft will air live on ESPN. Both nights of the event will be available to stream on DIRECTV, fubo and the ESPN app.
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NBA Draft 2026 date, start time
Date: Tuesday, June 23 (Round 1) | Wednesday, June 24 (Round 2)
Time: 8 p.m. ET (Rounds 1 and 2)
Location: Barclays Center (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
The NBA Draft will start with Round 1 on Tuesday, June 23, and it will continue with Round 2 on Wednesday, June 24. Both rounds will start at 8 p.m. ET.
The event will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
NBA Draft order 2026
Round 1
Pick
Team
1
Washington Wizards
2
Utah Jazz
3
Memphis Grizzlies
4
Chicago Bulls
5
Los Angeles Clippers (from Pacers)
6
Brooklyn Nets
7
Sacramento Kings
8
Atlanta Hawks (from Pelicans)
9
Dallas Mavericks
10
Milwaukee Bucks
11
Golden State Warriors
12
Oklahoma City Thunder (from Clippers)
13
Miami Heat (traded to Bucks)
14
Charlotte Hornets
15
Chicago Bulls (from Trail Blazers)
16
Memphis Grizzlies (from Suns) *(Traded to Thunder)*
17
Oklahoma City Thunder (from 76ers) *(Traded to Grizzlies, traded to Pistons)*
18
Charlotte Hornets (from Magic)
19
Toronto Raptors
20
San Antonio Spurs (from Hawks)
21
Detroit Pistons (from Timberwolves) *(Traded to Grizzlies)*
BOSTON — The last time the Celtics fought and clawed for their playoff lives, they were without their face of the franchise in Jayson Tatum. The C’s star was still going through return-to-play protocols, so after a left knee issue popped up, he was shut down ahead of Game 7 against the 76ers.
Tatum now gets a full offseason to recover after playing in 22 combined games between the regular season and playoffs. While he wasn’t at 100% coming back from his Achilles injury, Tatum still played at a high level in his return. Celtics president Brad Stevens, speaking after the first round of the NBA Draft on Tuesday, gave a health update on the Celtics star.
“He’s been good,” Stevens said. “A lot of the younger guys have been here because they are ramping up to play in Summer League. We haven’t been done as early as we’ve been done in a long time. They actually went away for awhile and came back for a couple weeks so they have spent a lot of time together. Jayson joined them last week to start to ramp up. He’s good some travels coming up. He’s got his camp coming up and I think he’s excited about getting on the court with some of those young pups a little bit.”
But regardless of what the Celtics do this summer, Tatum’s health is one of the most important pieces. Tatum remarked how, at the end of the season, his right calf was still smaller than his left one coming back from his Achilles injury. It was one of those realities that, yes, despite his great play, he wasn’t close to 100% yet. He’ll have a chance to get back to full strength now that he has a full offseason ahead of him.
“I‘m very happy that I came back to be a part of his team,” Tatum said back in May. “To get back to doing what I love, to help us, give us a chance to compete for a championship, to prove to myself that I can get back to being the guy who I was, and hopefully better. And just to kind of defy what this injury kind of means.”
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BOSTON — The Celtics have their latest first-round pick, selecting Houston big man Chris Cenac Jr. at 27th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. It was clear the C’s could look to bolster their big man depth through the draft, and that’s what they did with Cenac.
Cenac figures to join a center rotation that already has Neemias Queta and Luka Garza. Queta is the projected starter after his breakout season. Of course, the Celtics could still add to their roster with free agency set for next week. How Cenac figures to be in the mix remains to be seen, but he’s officially with the C’s now.
Here are four things to know about Cenac, the Celtics’ newest first-round pick:
Cenac is still young
While college players are trending older in this current age, that isn’t the case for Cenac. He’s still just 19 and won’t turn 20 until next February. That means Cenac still has a lot of time to round out his game going forward. On the flip side, it also means he’s still a raw prospect coming out of Houston. Cenac was also rated as a five-star player coming out of high school and was nationally a top-10 prospect, per 247Sports.
Cenac will likely need some time to start his career
The Celtics added some size with Cenac, who was measured at 6-foot-11 with a 7-foot-5 wingspan. That should fit right in at the next level. He’ll likely need to add some muscle and weight considering the league’s physicality, but Cenac has time to grow into an NBA body. Just don’t expect Cenac to be an immediate starter quite yet.
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The skills and abilities are tantalizing, but Cenac is still raw. It also remains to be seen if Boston continues to add more size to its roster. Considering he was the 27th overall pick, it’s no surprise to see the Celtics go with an upside pick who won’t necessarily contribute from Day 1.
“There certainly probably is a lot of excitement and expectation from his, but we were sitting here last year and I didn’t think the guy that we drafted would play at all for us,” C’s president Brad Stevens said. “But you never know. Let’s see. We’ll see how they all come in and work and he’ll certainly have the opportunity like everybody else. But you’re behind when you’re 19 and you’re dealing with now men.”
Cenac is already a strong rebounder
Of Cenac’s skills that immediately stand out, rebounding is one of them. He was already grabbing boards consistently for the Cougars and should be a reliable guy on the defensive glass. Cenac also created consistent second-chance opportunities for the Cougars last season. Considering the emphasis C’s coach Joe Mazzulla puts on rebounding, that’s already a good sign for Cenac going forward.
“He’s just a good young player,” Stevens said. “Energetic. Plays hard. Excellent athlete. Long. Fits a position of need. Some things that we were a little short on this year from an athletic perspective, I think with his size and his length.
Cenac comes from a gritty Houston program
The Cougars haven’t made it to the top of college basketball under coach Kelvin Sampson, but his program still commands a ton of respect. Houston is consistently one of the toughest teams in the nation that plays a physical brand of basketball. Stevens was plenty happy to grab someone who was developed with that in mind. Cenac averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds in 37 games for Houston last season.
“When you play in the program he’s played for, he’s been taught well and been held to a high standard,” Stevens said. “I like that, and he will undoubtedly come here and be eager to jump into it. He’s a good worker, he’s a good person and he’s got a lot to learn. But we’re excited about starting that process with him.”
Now that Antetokounmpo is in Miami, insiders think teams will start trying to trade for Brown. This has sparked plenty of discourse about Brown and whether the Celtics should trade him or not. In this discourse, some insiders are bringing up what Jaylen Brown said on a livestream after the season.
Brown said that last season was his favorite season. Some found this odd, considering Jayson Tatum missed most of the season and the Celtics were bounced in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Brown has already clarified what he meant by those comments, but once again called out ESPN and Stephen A. Smith on Wednesday.
"ESPN is unethical, and Stephen A. Smith is the head face of that," Brown said at Cannes at Sport Beach in a video posted on X. "The organization and players were all in agreement. They all knew what I meant by that. Our team basically salary dumped. We lost a lot of players and for us to emerge and still be in the same position."
With Brown's name popping up in trade rumors again, media personalities are pointing to his comments after the season ended as a way to say he no longer wants to be in Boston and likes being a No. 1 option. However, Brad Stevens noted in his post-draft press conference on Wednesday that he thinks Brown and Tatum can still win together and coexist.
Smith and Brown have gotten into it on social media a few times since the Celtics season ended, so this is not much of a surprise at this point.
The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft was on Tuesday night, but the biggest concern for Celtics fans was not landing Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo in a trade on Monday.
Milwaukee decided to trade Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat instead of the Celtics. This deal will take effect at the beginning of July. Boston's president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, did not want to comment on missing out on Antetokounmpo.
"I'm not going to talk about those types of things," Stevens said Tuesday on not landing Antetokounmpo. "We'll do it if we ever have a deal and are ultimately allowed to talk about it. I am not going to go into specifics on that."
Brad Stevens declined to get into any specifics on how close the Celtics were to landing Giannis pic.twitter.com/9gucsKlUpS
Stevens gave the standard response that front-office members typically offer at press conferences after failing to secure a significant deal. It seems that Stevens may not want to elaborate, especially since Boston appeared willing to trade Jaylen Brown for Antetokounmpo. Now, the Celtics may need to repair their relationship with Brown and don't want anything more to come out than what's already been reported.
Just because Stevens didn't acquire Antetokounmpo doesn't mean he isn't working on another significant trade. Stevens has successfully executed many big trades in the past, and he may have something unexpected planned that no one sees coming.
The Boston Celtics added a new name to the roster on Tuesday night, selecting Houston's Chris Cenac Jr. with the No. 27 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Cenac Jr. represents a massive value grab late in the first round, sliding to No. 27 despite flashing the raw physical traits of a lottery selection. Standing 6-foot-11 with a massive 7-foot-5 wingspan, the freshman forward/center gives Boston a highly intriguing, long-term developmental project.
While a loaded roster means minutes will have to be earned from day one, Cenac Jr. has the defensive tools and complementary skill set to carve out a definitive role in Boston.
Get to know the new Celtics rookie who will soon be rocking the green and white.
Why did the Celtics select Chris Cenac Jr.?
The Celtics opted to select Cenac Jr. with the No. 27 pick, giving Joe Mazzulla a pick with plenty of upside to add to their frontcourt.
Cenac Jr. was a consensus five-star prospect and the No. 1 ranked center in the Class of 2025, and though his stats did not jump off the stat sheet at Houston, there are plenty of reasons for fans to be optimistic.
Outside the stats, Cenac Jr. played for one of the best cultures in college basketball, with Kevin Sampson at Houston. The Cougars were the top defensive team in America, with a defensive rating of over 90 when Cenac Jr. was on the court, and he will add plenty of that end for Boston.
On the other side, he is not only a presence inside, shooting 48.5% from the field.
That raw potential makes Cenac Jr. the perfect clay for Mazzulla’s development system. Since taking over the Celtics' bench, Mazzulla has built a reputation for maximizing role players and integrating young talent.
Stepping into a culture that mirrors the defensive intensity he just left at Houston, Cenac Jr. will be given the structural freedom to refine his perimeter game and develop his 7-foot-5 wingspan at a manageable pace behind an established veteran frontcourt.
Though he occasionally struggled with foul trouble and efficiency under Sampson at Houston, playing in one of the nation's most grueling, defense-first collegiate cultures perfectly prepared him for the physical demands of the next level.
For a team that doesn't need immediate, heavy rotation minutes from a rookie, Boston is the perfect landing spot for Cenac Jr. to refine his high-ceiling toolkit without the pressure of a rushed timeline.
How Chris Cenac Jr. impacts Celtics' lineup?
Cenac Jr. adds to a Celtics frontcourt that has plenty of room for development. Boston's frontcourt was rotational through the second half of the 2025-26 season, with Neemias Queta, Luka Garza and Nikola Vucevic splitting minutes. The hope is Cenac Jr. will be the starting big before long.
While Boston has wings in Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, it lacks a real rim runner, and Cenac Jr. can provide this.
Cenac’s elite physical tools — specifically his 7-foot-5 wingspan and explosive verticality — give the Celtics a dynamic structural dimension they drastically lacked last season. While Boston's primary offensive actions flow through their premier wing engines, having a high-flying vertical threat forces opposing rim protectors to look different ways.
If he is able to develop right, Cenac Jr. can turn into a real threat on the offensive side of the court, while the floor he already gives is defensive tenacity instilled by one of the best coaches in college basketball and the intangibles to succeed in the NBA. Despite playing just under 25 minutes per game at Houston, he led the Cougars in rebounding with 7.9 boards a night, proving he isn’t afraid to initiate contact and box out older, more physical frontcourt players.
An emotional Chris Cenac Jr. walked the draft stage wiping tears after being selected by the Boston Celtics with the No. 27 pick.
In Mazzulla's scheme, which often demands big men to switch out onto smaller guards on the perimeter, Cenac's multi-directional fluidity and lateral quickness give him the tools to succeed. He'll immediately contribute to the Celtics with the hope of blossoming into a superstar.
Chris Cenac Jr. college stats
While Cenac Jr. was not Houston's flashiest player, he still had a productive year in his one season for the Cougars.
News of a league-altering trade was broken late Monday night, when ESPN’s senior NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the Milwaukee Bucks were sending superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat in return for a massive haul including Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucioni, and draft compensation.
The blockbuster deal, which isn’t set to be finalized until July 6, ends months of speculation that the 2025-26 season would be Antetokounmpo’s last in Milwaukee. The Heat and Boston Celtics were seen as the last players at the finish line, with the Celtics offering a package around star shooting guard Jaylen Brown.
In fact, the Celtics were so close to getting a deal done that senior Chris Haynes, the senior NBA insider for NBATV and the NBA on Prime, was touting the Cs as the favorites to land Antetokounmpo just moments before the news of the trade broke.
“Well, from what I’m hearing, it sounds like the Boston Celtics are the frontrunners to land Giannis Antetokounmpo,” Haynes said on the NBATV set. “The expectation and belief is that a deal will be done by the draft. And the owner, the owner for the Milwaukee Bucks, they said this a couple months ago; they said they were looking to do so.
BREAKING: The Bostin Celtics are the favorites to land Giannis, per @ChrisBHaynes
“The Boston Celtics are the front runners to land Giannis Antetokounmpo…. I can expect something to be done by end of the day but if not, most definitely by the draft. Right now I’m hearing the… pic.twitter.com/NJlVD9Zctn
“And I would say probably about a couple of weeks ago, teams were starting to hear, starting to hear some intel about how the Bucks might even take this past the draft and go on to free agency. But, you know, the last 48 hours or so, I think that has changed. And from what I’m hearing from all accounts, is that the Milwaukee Bucks are ready to make a move. I will expect—I can expect — something to be done by the end of the day. But if not today, most definitely on the day of the draft. And, um, right now I’m hearing the Boston Celtics, not the Miami Heat, are the favorites to land him in a trade.”
It’s worth noting that Haynes wasn’t the only one pointing toward a Celtics-Bucks deal being imminent, with ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reporting that Boston was “all in” on getting a deal done for the former MVP. So while Haynes’ sources and reporting don’t appear to have been erroneous, there’s no denying that his timing was brutal.
The Portland Trail Blazers have reportedly made a decision on their next head coach.
"Just in: The Portland Trail Blazers are hiring Minnesota Timberwolves lead assistant Micah Nori as the franchise's next head coach, sources tell ESPN. Nori -- widely regarded as one of the league's top assistants -- has been in the NBA coaching ranks since 2009 and now takes over in Portland on a multiyear deal," ESPN senior NBA insider Shams Charania posted on X.
Just in: The Portland Trail Blazers are hiring Minnesota Timberwolves lead assistant Micah Nori as the franchise's next head coach, sources tell ESPN. Nori -- widely regarded as one of the league's top assistants -- has been in the NBA coaching ranks since 2009 and now takes over… pic.twitter.com/j5PDc5KlFF
The Micah Nori hire also has a significant impact on the Boston Celtics.
It was reported in May that Celtics assistant Tyler Lashbrook was among the final candidates for the opening in Portland.
Then when the Chicago Bulls hired former Trail Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter, it was revealed that Lashbrook was one of the two finalists for the Portland gig.
With the Trail Blazers reportedly going with Nori, Lashbrook can now return to head coach Joe Mazzulla's bench in Boston.
Lashbrook isn't the only member of Mazzulla's staff to fall just short of a head-coaching job this offseason.
It was reported in early June that assistant coach Tony Dobbins was expected to interview for the Dallas Mavericks' vacancy. The Mavericks ended up hiring former University of Michigan head coach Dusty May for the job, according to multiple reports.
Additionally, former Celtics assistant Ben Sullivan interviewed for Portland's lead gig and ex-Boston All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo was reportedly a finalist for the New Orleans Pelicans' head-coaching job.
One former member of the Celtics who did recently land a new opportunity is ESPN analyst and former NBA champion center Kendrick Perkins, who agreed to become the men's basketball General Manager at Jackson State last week.
The Boston Celtics reportedly tried to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo with a package centered around Jaylen Brown and first-round picks, but came up short.
Trade rumors surrounding the Celtics, Brown and Antetokounmpo had been circulating since the season ended, but even though Antetokounmpo is now with the Miami Heat, it does not mean Brown is guaranteed to be on the Celtics when the season starts. According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, teams could start a bidding war for Brown now that they know he is not getting sent to Milwaukee for Antetokounmpo.
"Now, what I expect to happen is a bidding war for Jaylen Brown," Windhorst said on "Get Up" on Tuesday morning. "In the most recent days, teams have been preparing for this eventuality. That it wouldn't be the Boston Celtics who won the Giannis sweepstakes, and there would be a Jaylen Brown market. We're now going to watch that. I think it’ll take time to play out, but if there's a draft pick involved, that could happen today."
The Celtics have now reportedly made Brown available for two star players in the last few years. He was reportedly the centerpiece of a potential deal that would bring Kevin Durant to Boston, and now Antetokounmpo. MassLive's Brian Robb made a list of teams that could make a play for Brown now, and one of them was the Atlanta Hawks.
Brown is from Marietta, just outside of Atlanta, and the Hawks have tried acquiring him in the past. Robb outlined what a trade could look like given the Hawks' roster.
"A long-time suitor of Brown, the Hawks have been active in recent days on the fringes of their roster. They added another wing in Aaron Wiggins to improve their depth and agreed to a one-year deal to bring back CJ McCollum. Jalen Johnson won’t be on the table in any trade scenario so the No. 8 overall pick would likely be a centerpiece of any real offer that comes to fruition, along with a combination of veteran talent (Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Onyeka Okongwu, Dyson Daniels)."
The Celtics would have to get this deal done on Tuesday, before the draft, it feels like. Atlanta's young players are attractive, but without Johnson on the table, the No. 8 pick would have to be included. The Celtics could use a lottery pick to add a young guard like Kingston Flemings to replace Brown, and then also gain young, controllable talent from Atlanta.
After months of rumors and speculation, the Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly sending two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat in a blockbuster trade.
The Boston Celtics were reportedly the other finalist to land Antetokounmpo and offered a package centered around superstar Jaylen Brown, but for now, "JB" is staying in Beantown.
Soon after the deal between the Bucks and Heat was reported, ESPN senior NBA insider Shams Charania added that the Celtics weren't "actively shopping" their former Finals MVP.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst said Tuesday morning, however, that Boston could still move Brown in a different trade.
With the trade rumors surrounding the Celtics' five-time All-Star continuing to fly, insiders Bobby Krivitsky and John Karalis both explained how Brown and Boston could reconcile.
"Maybe the Celtics & Brown smooth this over. Their pursuit of Kevin Durant in 2022 & Brown's name living in the rumor mill hasn't led to a break up yet," Krivitsky posted on Bluesky. "However, if their Giannis chase & a punitive CBA means otherwise, Trey Murphy III is an obvious target. Could see about acquiring him & Herb Jones."
"But if (president of basketball operations Brad Stevens) is a master fence-mender, and if Brown can accept this was just business as usual in the NBA, then maybe there's a chance this can move forward. He is eligible for an extension this offseason, so one way to fix that relationship is to immediately offer him the maximum amount," Karalis wrote. "If that relationship is still okay, then Boston can get back to the original plan of adding via their mid-level and traded player exceptions. If not, then this offseason just took an incredibly interesting turn. Tuesday night will bring some level of clarity to the situation."
Notably, Celtics insider Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe reported Monday, hours before the blockbuster trade, that "there does not appear to be friction" between Brown and the Celtics.
The Milwaukee Bucks traded Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat on Monday night, and Jimmy Haslam was the main reason the Bucks accepted the Heat's offer over the Boston Celtics'.
Haslam has been part of the Mucks' ownership group since 2023, and according to Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor, he was the "driving force" in the Bucks choosing the Heat's offer. There were reportedly concerns about Jaylen Brown's willingness to stay in Milwaukee after a potential trade.
"Sources say Bucks owner Jimmy Haslem was a driving force in taking the Heat deal for Giannis over Boston’s offer," wrote O'Connor on Tuesday. "Haslem didn’t want to risk Jaylen Brown wanting out of Milwaukee in a year after dealing with Giannis and Myles Garrett trade demands. Haslem wanted certainty, and the Miami deal provided more of that with more total assets in return to Milwaukee."
Haslam's involvement with the Cleveland Browns likely ended up playing a role in the entire trade situation. The Browns traded away their franchise superstar in Garrett earlier this month. Understandably, he did not want to have to deal with trading another superstar in Brown.
The Heat gave up Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, one pick swap and one second-round pick in exchange for Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis. According to NBA insider Shams Charania, the Celtics offered a package featuring Brown and two first-round picks.
The Heat's offer had more players and draft capital, but it's unclear if it was actually a better deal. Brown is a finals MVP and was All-NBA Second-Team last season.
The Celtics won't be adding Giannis Antetokounmpo to their roster this season as the Bucks traded him to the Miami Heat on Monday night.
Miami's trade package was more appealing to the Bucks than the Celtics', and ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania explained why it was difficult for Boston to finalize a deal for Antetokounmpo.
"The Celtics were not willing to part with enough young players and assets to get a deal done," Charania said Tuesday morning on "SportsCenter".
"The Celtics were not willing to part with enough young players and assets to get a deal done."@ShamsCharania says Boston offered Jaylen Brown and two first-round picks for Giannis Antetokounmpo before he was traded to Miami 👀 pic.twitter.com/WvGCveMwjE
Charania reported that the Celtics offered Jaylen Brown and two unprotected first-round picks to the Bucks, but Milwaukee wanted more in return.
The Bucks were likely hoping the Celtics would add a young player like Hugo González and possibly more. Milwaukee could also have been looking for Boston to add someone like Baylor Scheierman.
Boston did the right thing by not giving up its future, including young players and Brown, for Antetokounmpo. It wouldn’t have benefited the Celtics to trade Brown, potentially include González and Scheierman, and offer several draft picks to acquire Antetokounmpo. Giannis will turn 32 this year and has suffered multiple injuries over the past few seasons, which could recur at any time.
With less than 24 hours to go before the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft kicks off, a significant trade has taken place that could have implications for the Boston Celtics.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Monday night that the Minnesota Timberwolves are trading Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team trade. This trade will send Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls, with the Timberwolves also acquiring the No. 33 pick.
The trade has nothing to do with the Celtics, but the next move could. Minnesota opened up a $33 million trade exception, and Yahoo Sports NBA insider Kevin O'Connor thinks Derrick White could fit that exception.
"The Timberwolves will have a traded player exception worth $33 mil," O'Connor wrote on X. "Who fits into that? Derrick White, who has recently been rumored as a target for Minnesota."
The Timerwolves will have a traded player exception worth $33 mil. Who fits into that? Derrick White, who has recently been rumored as a target for Minnesota.
Also worth thinking about: Trey Murphy, Jrue Holiday, Dejounte Murray, and Myles Turner for players in that same range. https://t.co/pa7LXoqyjF
The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski reported on Monday that the Timberwolves have shown interest in pursuing White.
"Minnesota has been most aggressive in pursuing White, the Celtics’ defensive mastermind who has the experience and the savvy to help Edwards and the Wolves break through in the West," Krawczynski wrote. "White turns 32 next month and saw his 3-point shooting percentage drop considerably this season, but so far the Celtics have rebuffed the Wolves’ advances."
Celtics fans will now have to keep an eye on whether Boston rebuilds its starting backcourt from last season, with possible trades involving White to Minnesota and Jaylen Brown elsewhere.
The deal is finally done. Giannis Antetokounmpo is on his way to Miami.
Late Monday night, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Heat will acquire the two-time NBA MVP and send a package of players and draft picks to the Bucks as part of a trade that changes the Eastern Conference landscape.
Here are the full details on the blockbuster deal between the Celtics and Heat.
Giannis Antetokounmpo trade details
Heat receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis
Bucks receive: Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks (2026, 2031, 2033), one pick swap (2030), one second-round pick (2033)
The Bucks will receive a massive haul of assets in exchange for Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis, according to Charania. The top player in the deal for Milwaukee is Herro, who has averaged at least 20 points per game in each of the last five seasons.
As Charania notes, the trade does not currently include any additional teams, but it could expand before it is officially completed next month.
The Heat are sending to Milwaukee unprotected first-rounders in 2031 and 2033 along with No. 13, a pick swap in 2030 and a 2033 second-rounder, according to sources.
The trade does not include any additional teams -- it is a one-to-one move, sources said -- but both the Heat… https://t.co/qsxVhBh9gp
The Celtics' offer for Antetokounmpo reportedly featured Jaylen Brown as the centerpiece after he averaged a career-high 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game last season. Boston also included two first-round picks in its package, per Charania.
Giannis Antetokounmpo contract details
Antetokounmpo signed a three-year contract extension with the Bucks before the start of the 2023-24 season. He has two more years left on that extension with a salary of $58.5 million in 2026-27 and $62.8 million in 2027-28, thought that deal includes a player option for the 2027-28 season.
Antetokounmpo is expected to sign a new contract with the Heat, as the front office wouldn't have sent out such a significant trade package for a one-year rental.
There is ongoing speculation that the Milwaukee Bucks could look to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo before the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday night.
The leading contenders to acquire the Bucks' big man are the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics. Antetokounmpo posted a cryptic message on Monday that might hint at big news coming soon.
"GOD, I trusted you at the beginning, and I will continue to trust you throughout," Antetokounmpo wrote on X.
GOD, I trusted you at the beginning, and I will continue to trust you throughout. 🙏🏽💯 pic.twitter.com/BuRHnQS2NQ
— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) June 22, 2026
Antetokounmpo could have posted that message knowing he had been traded and was ready to start his next chapter in life.
The Celtics should be the frontrunners for Antetokounmpo's services. Since Boston seems willing to part with Jaylen Brown in a deal, he would be better than any player or combination of players the Heat could offer.
Celtics fans will closely watch Antetokounmpo in the next 24 hours to see if he will be wearing Green and White next season.
The Boston Celtics have reportedly been trying to strike a deal that brings Giannis Antetokounmpo to Boston, and NBA insider Shams Charania shared a surprising detail about a potential trade.
The Bucks rightfully are looking for a haul in exchange for the two-time MVP. They likely want young players and draft picks, so it was believed that the Celtics would need to find a third team to take Jaylen Brown. As for the Miami Heat, the other contender to land him, they may have also needed a third team to facilitate a trade for Antetokounmpo.
"Sources tell me a trade and a resolution is coming for the Milwaukee Bucks with Giannis Antetokounmpo before the NBA Draft on Tuesday night. The Bucks are in serious conversations with two finalists: the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. Both teams are Giannis' preferred trade destinations, but both of these packages are different deals. The variance of these deals is dramatic. For Bostson, it's a Jaylen Brown-led package. It's around a veteran player and obviously a superstar caliber player. In Miami, it's a group of cost-controlled players and rookie-scale contracts and significant draft capital in that deal.
"I want to make this clear, whichever deal occurs, it’s going to be a one-for-one deal. It’s going to consist of Milwaukee and one of these two teams. There’s no third and fourth teams in any construct right now."
The Bucks may feel a need to get a deal done before Tuesday night, and facilitating a third team may be difficult due to the time crunch. However, they should still be able to get a massive return for Antetokounmpo, even if they only trade with either Boston or Miami.
The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft is on Tuesday night, which could be a significant event for the Celtics. Although Boston has the 27th pick, it still has the opportunity to select a valuable player or potentially trade it in a deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Since the Celtics still hold the pick, it's time to consider who they might select in the first round. USA Today's Bryan Kalbrosky published a mock draft on Saturday, in which the Celtics selected Duke shooting guard Isaiah Evans.
"Boston tends to favor players with a high effective field goal percentage, low turnover percentage and low usage rate," Kalbrosky wrote. "They also like players who make quick decisions on catch-and-shoot opportunities and on corner 3-pointers.
"Duke sophomore Isaiah Evans scored 218 points when shooting off the catch, per Synergy, which ranked third-best among ACC players last season. He also matched 30 corner 3-pointers, according to CBB Analytics, which trailed the top-ranked high-major player (34) by just four field goals made. Expect the Celtics to potentially have Evans higher on their big board than other teams might. UConn's Alex Karaban, who reportedly had a pre-draft workout with the organization, also fits the bill."
Evans spent two seasons at Duke. He started only three games in 2024-25, but this past season, he took a big step. Evans started in 38 games, recording 15 points per game.
If the Celtics take Evans, they will likely need him to work on creating his own shot more. However, he could bring great use on defense with his 6-foot-6 frame.
LeBron James is a free agent this offseason, and former Celtics star Kevin Garnett has a team in mind for him to sign with.
Garnett thinks LeBron should head back to where his career all started and sign a contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"If you're doing a farewell tour and this is his last hurrah, I would like to see him in Cleveland. Take a pay cut, go back somewhere," Garnett said Friday on "KG: Certified".
Kevin Garnett wants to see LeBron James take a pay cut and return to the Cleveland Cavaliers for his final season:
"If you're doing a farewell tour and this is his last hurrah, I would like to see him in Cleveland. Take a pay cut, go back somewhere."
The Cavaliers drafted LeBron in 2003, and he spent seven seasons with the team before joining the Miami Heat from 2010 to 2014. He returned to Cleveland in the summer of 2014 and spent four more years there, helping the Cavaliers win their first NBA title in 2016.
LeBron has been with the Lakers since 2018, and returning to where it all started would be a great story to end his career. The only issue is that the Cavaliers are currently over the second salary cap apron, which means they would need to make a series of moves to bring LeBron back to their roster.
It may not be beneficial for the Cavaliers to make significant moves to bring LeBron back for just one or two more seasons. With LeBron set to turn 42 by the end of the year, this could very well be his final season. The Cavaliers might be reluctant to part with valuable assets that could be important for their future.
The Boston Celtics could be very busy this summer after getting bounced in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Not only are the Celtics expected to be searching for new talent to bring to their team, but they have plenty of attractive pieces that other teams could be looking to trade for. Among those pieces is veteran guard Derrick White. According to The Athletic's Sam Amick, the Minnesota Timberwolves are showing some interest in White.
"Similarly, league sources say the Minnesota Timberwolves — whose (Giannis) Antetokounmpo pursuit also appears to have cooled — have strong interest in the Celtics’ Derrick White," Amick wrote on Friday.
White joined the Celtics in 2022 when he was acquired from the San Antonio Spurs. He has been with the team for more than four seasons and was a key member of the Celtics' 2024 championship. He averaged 16.7 points in the playoffs that season, starting 19 games. He started 70 games in the regular season, being named All-Defense Second-Team.
He has been named to three All-Defense teams, earning First-Team honors for the first time last season. He averaged 16.5 points last season and has two years and a player option remaining on his contract. The Timberwolves are also contenders, and could use a player like White to complement Anthony Edwards.
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