New Jaylen Brown Trade Rumors on 'Complex Situation' Surrounding Giannis, Bucks, Celtics Contract

Amid speculation about the Boston Celtics' interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo, the club is walking a delicate tightrope with Jaylen Brown and his future if a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks were to happen.

On Thursday's episode of Get Up, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported on the "complex situation" the Celtics, Bucks and Brown find themselves in right now:

"One of the most dicey words in the entire NBA is the word 'offer.' This starts fights. The word 'offer.' So, the word emanating out of Boston is that Jaylen Brown has not been offered for anybody. And so, that's the story that the Celtics have, and they are sticking to it. Now, have the Celtics and Bucks talked? I believe that they have. If they consummate a deal, would it involve Jaylen Brown? I believe that it would. But there's also the prickly thing about whether or not the Bucks would want to keep Jaylen Brown or whether they would want to move him on in such a scenario. And there's a third factor here, which is that Jaylen Brown can ask for a contract extension in July for over $70 million over the course of two years when he's 33-34 years old. So this is a complex situation that I think the Celtics are trying to sort of stay on the outside of right now."

Another part of the complexity of the situation if the Celtics and Bucks were to strike a deal that involves Brown going to Milwaukee is what would happen next.

ESPN's Marc J. Spear said on a Wednesday episode of SportsCenter that Brown "wouldn't want to play" for the Bucks in that scenario.

Given Brown's lack of desire to end up in Milwaukee, there has been speculation about the Bucks trying to find a third team they could include to redirect the five-time All-Star if they can reach an agreement with Boston.

There's also a situation where the Celtics want to tread carefully with Brown because if things don't come together with the Bucks and he has heard his name frequently bantered about in trade rumors, they run the risk of alienating him.

Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reported on Tuesday the Celtics have been debating if they would even want to include Brown in an offer to the Bucks, or if they could find a way to make it happen without including him.

Brown's current contract situation, even with being eligible for an extension this summer, wouldn't seem to give him a lot of leverage to play with. He is signed for three seasons, so any team acquiring him would be assured they have him through the 2028-29 campaign.

The 29-year-old Brown is coming off the best season of his career. He averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in 71 starts, earning a spot on the All-NBA second team and finishing sixth in MVP voting.