Mock Trade Sees Celtics Land 2-Time MVP
As a retooling team, the Boston Celtics are likely to dip in and out of the trade market over the coming months and/or years. Brad Stevens will undoubtedly continue to iterate through talent until he finds the additional pieces needed to position Joe Mazzulla’s roster back at the top of the Eastern Conference.
With Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White already under contract, those moves will likely be aimed at constructing a reliable, deep supporting cast. Of course, Stevens could go in another direction and look to flip Brown and filler for another top-10 superstar.
In a recent article from Matt Moore of FanSided, a move for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was suggested as a potential pivot for the Celtics. Moore’s proposed trade looked like this:
Boston Celtics Get:
Milwaukee Bucks Get:
“Boston gets to instantly reorganize their future,” Moore wrote. “It’s now Tatum coming back from the Achilles with Derrick White and Giannis. That’s your core for the next four years…Giannis and Tatum aren’t a natural fit, but they can both pull so much gravitational help to open up shooters, and are so talented, you live with it. The
A trio of Giannis, Tatum and White would be devastatingly good. Gianis would have all the space he needed to attack downhill and pressure the rim. Tatum and White would both thrive as creators, floor spacers, and high-level defenders.
The Celtics Would Need Floor Spacers
The hardest part about making a Tatum-Giannis tandem work would be spacing. The Celtics would need multiple high-level shooters on the court at all times. Ensuring there’s enough scope for both starts to get downhill and create scoring or passing opportunities would be essential. Giannis is at his best when driving toward the rim.
Losing Sam Hauser in Moore’s trade proposal would be a big blow. He’s one of the best three-point specialists in the NBA, and the ideal type of talent you want in your supporting cast. However, if Giannis is heading to your team, you pay the premium and figure out how to make it work after the fact.
A rotation full of shooting, ball-handling and defense would ensure the Celtics open a new contention timeline. Of course, constructing a roster like that is far easier said than done.
Giannis Prefers New York
According to an Oct. 7 report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Giannis has previously pinpointed the New York Knicks as his desired destination, should he eventually choose to leave the
“Ever since the NBA Draft Combine in mid-May, Alex Saratsis — an Octagon managing director and Antetokounmpo’s U.S.-based representative — has fielded rampant interest in Antetokounmpo and conducted serious due diligence on the best possible outside fits,” Charania reported. “Several teams were discussed internally, but one emerged as the only place Antetokounmpo wanted to play outside of Milwaukee: the
Of course, Giannis’ preference could easily change in the coming months. After all, the opportunity to partner with Tatum and bring Banner 19 to Boston could be too good to pass up. In truth, though, it’s highly unlikely we see Giannis swapping one green jersey for another. Still, that doesn’t mean we can’t imagine what things would look like if he did.
Proposed Trade Sees Lakers Swap LeBron James For 2-Time MVP
The Luka Doncic era is officially underway within the Los Angeles Lakers organization. Rob Pelinka spent this summer building out a supporting cast that suits the superstar’s skill set.
Of course, LeBron James is still on the Lakers roster. He opted into his $52.6 million player option earlier this summer. However, if Pelinka and James agree that his tenure in Purple and Gold has run its course, the
Matt Moore of FanSided recently proposed a trade that would not only help LeBron but also position the
Los Angeles Lakers Get:
Milwaukee Bucks Get:
- LeBron James
- Austin Reaves
- two unprotected first-round picks
“Let’s talk about the Bucks’ side first. LeBron is not staying in Milwaukee, obviously. A buyout is agreed upon for $1, a symbolic gesture. LeBron can then sign with the Cavaliers,
On paper, this move would suit everyone involved. The Milwaukee Bucks have a path to clearing their cap sheet by buying out LeBron and trading
The Lakers Would Have a New Star Duo
Giannis and Doncic would instantly form a fearsome partnership. They would be the latest duo to don a Lakers jersey together and cement the franchise as the home of the superstar. A star tandem has anchored the
You can’t put a price on what a duo like that would do for the franchise, both in terms of on-court success and off-court marketability. Furthermore, having two of the top three European talents in the world leading the roster would certainly increase the
The hard part, of course, would be selling Milwaukee on the idea that clearing their cap sheet is the quickest route back to contention.
A Giannis Trade Is Unlikely
Unfortunately for the Lakers, the chance of landing Giannis is slim. According to an Oct. 7 report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, the superstar forward recently pinpointed the
“Ever since the NBA Draft Combine in mid-May, Alex Saratsis — an Octagon managing director and Antetokounmpo’s U.S.-based representative — has fielded rampant interest in Antetokounmpo and conducted serious due diligence on the best possible outside fits,” Charania reported. “Several teams were discussed internally, but one emerged as the only place Antetokounmpo wanted to play outside of Milwaukee: the
However, you can never ignore the pulling power of playing in Los Angeles, especially when it means teaming up with Doncic. The Lakers would be better served by building a deep supporting cast to maximize Doncic’s skill set. As things stand, a move for Giannis may be nothing more than a pipe dream.
