New Giannis-Jaylen Brown Trade Rumors on Celtics' 'Real Shot' to Top Heat in Race for Bucks Star

The Boston Celtics' odds of acquiring Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo might be improving as the Bucks' self-imposed deadline nears.

The Stein Line's Marc Stein reported Monday that Boston "emerged from the weekend 'with a real shot'" of making the deal happen. The Bucks could sign off on the trade without lining up a third team to take five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown.

Stein reported earlier that "the Celtics' chances of beating out Miami thus could hinge on a third team to join the transaction to take on Brown and his monster contract ($183 million over the next three seasons) and enable Milwaukee to broaden its haul."

From a financial perspective, a swap involving Antetokounmpo and Brown is one of the easiest Milwaukee can do. The two players earn $58.5 million and $57.1 million, respectively, so the money lines up perfectly.

That the Bucks are all but guaranteed to enter a rebuild in a post-Giannis future is the complicating factor.

ESPN's Marc J. Spears reported last week Brown "wouldn't want to play for Milwaukee," which is not surprising given the organization's direction. In addition, taking on his contract doesn't make a ton of sense for the Bucks.

They're either paying massive money to a star who turns 30 in October with a slim hope of contending in 2026-27, or they're banking on finding another team down the road that's willing to acquire Brown. Look no further than the returns from the Trae Young and Anthony Davis trades to see how difficult it is to move hefty salaries for aging stars under the current collective bargaining agreement.

Suggesting the Celtics are gaining ground on the Miami Heat for Giannis could be an attempt by Milwaukee to entice other suitors at the eleventh hour.

A steady theme throughout the last few weeks is the Bucks don't totally love the Heat's offer. Miami doesn't have a budding young star it can include in the deal, and the NBA's draft lottery reforms have made it even tougher to gauge the value of future draft capital.

A haul of guard Tyler Herro, forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. and center Kel'el Ware plus picks is fairly lackluster for a player of Antetokounmpo's caliber. Yet that might be the best on the table because Giannis' likely free agency in 2027 is depressing his market.

Of course, Milwaukee could simply choose to ignore its predraft deadline for the trade. Multiple insiders reported the saga could stretch into free agency.