Giannis Antetokounmpo may be interested in joining the Boston Celtics, but, according to a recent report, it isn't certain that they'd want him back. And if there's even any credence to this rumor, it should help Miami Heat fans breathe a sigh of relief as the chase for Giannis potentially inches its conclusion.
According to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, while it's been reported that Giannis is intrigued by the idea of being traded to the Celtics, there's no guarantee that feeling is reciprocated from the storied franchise. Or at least not to the extent that it would take to land Giannis.
"That executive said of those teams, he’s not sure that the Celtics even want him and the executive expects the Knicks will not pursue Antetokounmpo after their Finals appearance."
The Celtics are the big wildcard in the Giannis sweepstakes
For the Celtics to acquire Giannis, it would require Brad Stevens trading Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum. While it wouldn't be that outlandish for the Celtics to consider trading one of them (more than likely Brown), that's the big question mark.
There have been conflicting reports surrounding whether the Celtics would consider such a move, and that's really the big wild card for the Heat as they await the conclusion of this saga.
That's because if the Celtics are "all-in" for Giannis, there's not much the Heat can do to win a bidding war. The Brown or Tatum card will trump anything the Heat can theoretically put together in an offer for Giannis.
But, as this report states, if there's even some hesitation in the Celtics' pursuit, that could be exactly the small path that the Heat needs to get to the Giannis finish line first.
As Jackson states in this article, that's one of the biggest question marks heading into the next couple of weeks. The Bucks are clearly looking to get some clarification on that front, and this Celtics answer specifically will go a long way in dictating how this will all end.
Giannis will make or break the Heat
The Heat have so much invested in this Giannis pursuit that their entire offseason, predictably, will be made or broken by the Bucks' ultimate decision.
While there's some real uncertainty on the Celtics' end of things at the moment, the Heat have placed all their cards on the table. They're willing to trade anyone on their roster not named Bam Adebayo. They've also theoretically placed every available draft pick to them on the table.
As has been the case since the NBA Trade Deadline, the ball is in Milwaukee's court. And, at least for now, until we know for sure that the Celtics are all-in on Giannis, Heat fans should feel a little confidence.
That can quickly change but, at least for now, they can breathe calmly.
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