Giannis Antetokounmpo trade grades if Bucks traded star to Celtics, not Heat

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Giannis Antetokounmpo trade grades if Bucks traded star to Celtics, not Heat

Bailey Bassett, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Tue, Jun 23, 2026 ·

5 min read

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Giannis Antetokounmpo trade grades if Bucks traded star to Celtics, not Heat appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

A blockbuster trade that has been years in the making was finally finalized on Monday night. Giannis Antetokounmpo , who has been surrounded by trade rumors for quite some time now, was officially moved to the Miami Heat in what could go down as one of the biggest trades in NBA history . The two-time MVP who has spent his entire career in Milwaukee was traded for Tyler Herro , Jaime Jaquez, Kel'el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis , three first-round picks, a pick swap, and a second-rounder.

The Heat beat out another competitive offer, one from the Boston Celtics that would have included Jaylen Brown and two first-round picks. Boston was one of the Greek Freak's preferred locations, but their trade package ultimately fell short of what the Miami Heat had to offer. So, if Boston won the trade sweepstakes, and two of the best players in the NBA ended up flipping teams, how would the Antetokounmpo trade have graded out for both the Celtics and the Bucks?

The Celtics tried to blow up their core for Giannis Antetokounmpo

Celtics receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Brown was drafted by the Celtics third overall in 2016. He has been one of the most steady two-way presences in the NBA ever since then. The Cal product not only helped the team win the championship as recently as 2024, but he also won NBA Finals MVP in that playoff run.

This past season, with Jayson Tatum recovering from an achilles injury for much of the year, Brown was even able to expand his game. The two wings formed one of the best duos in the NBA for years, but as the top option, Brown was able to score 28.7 points per game, the fourth most in the entire league.

This development was great to see, but it was widely assumed that 2025-26 was just a gap year for the Celtics, and they'd look to contend again once Tatum was back to full strength next season. Clearly, Boston didn't think that more championships were in their future with their core, or at least they thought Antetokounmpo would have provided a large enough upgrade to move on from a franchise legend.

The plan was out goes Brown and in comes a fellow former NBA Finals MVP. Whereas Brown is usually ranked around 10-20 in terms of the best players in the NBA, Antetokounmpo is undeniably a top-five player in the league. He is a physical specimen that can score at will down low, and while both players are elite perimeter defenders, Antetokounmpo provides more as a rim protector.

Antetokounmpo has four Defensive First Team nods and a Defensive Player of the Year to his name. The Celtics pride themselves on their defense, and they wouldn't have regressed at the point of attack had they made the deal. The team would have improved arguably their biggest weakness on the less glamorous end of the court, though, with that being their interior presence.

The team deployed Neemias Queta , Luka Garza , and Nikola Vucevic at the center position last season, the latter of which was a trade deadline get . Queta is solid and can protect the rim, but he might be best suited as a backup. Garza and Vucevic provided next to no shot blocking ability, and Vucevic is now headed for free agency. While Antetokounmpo can play the power forward position alongside Queta, he would have also taken on minutes at the five spot to guard some of the best big men in the league.

Of course, this Celtics team that is near the top of the league in 3-point attempts per game on a yearly basis would have taken a step back from deep. Antetokounmpo was above 30% from beyond the arc for the first time since 2020-21 this past season, but he is still viewed as more of a non-shooter. Having less shooting and more banging might be good for Boston, though. The team still has enough marksmen on the roster to catch fire when they need to, but in the past, there have been times when they've settled for jumpers and shot themselves out of games. Antetokounmpo would have ensured the offense never gets stagnant, as he can bully his way to the rim anytime he so chooses.

Losing Brown would have hurt, and trying to break up this core seemed to come somewhat prematurely. The Celtics were in on Antetokounmpo for a reason, though, so had they traded for him, they would have legitimately upgraded the roster.

Hypothetical trade grade: A-

The Bucks' trade package from Boston was underwhelming

Antetokounmpo is the best player in Bucks history . However, a trade had seemed imminent for well over a year, so it came as no surprise that he was finally moved ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft. They got a lot back from the Heat, which is good news, because a deal from the Celtics seemed somewhat underwhelming. Most superstar trades in recent memory have included a surplus of draft capital and prospects. For example, Desmond Bane was traded for four first-round picks and a swap option just last year.

Brown is coming off a great season, and he is the type of player who can fit in any system or on any roster in the league, but he just isn't as clear-cut of a top option as Antetokounmpo. When the Celtics first emerged as a contender for Antetokounmpo, it appeared as though the Bucks would require a third team to take on Brown, as it was believed they wouldn't want a player of his caliber in a rebuild.

As a trade came closer to fruition, though, it seemed like Brown would stick in Milwaukee had he been traded there, meaning the team would look to continue trying to win. Considering they won just 32 games last season and haven't gotten past the second round since 2022, it seemed unlikely that Brown would get the team back into true contention, though.

The Bucks were better off trading for the Heat's package of prospects and picks than a deal centered around Brown. While it wouldn't have been as big a fleece as the Luka Doncic trade was, it would have certainly left a lot to be desired.

Grade: B+

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