Celtics drop bold Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown verdict despite Giannis Antetokounmpo trade outcome

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Celtics drop bold Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown verdict despite Giannis Antetokounmpo trade outcome originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

'Going all-in' is now starting to become an understatement when describing the Boston Celtics' aspirations to win Banner 19. Brad Stevens and the front office have firmly decided to put Jaylen Brown on the trading block to land Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. However, it does not seem like the outcome of this trade will determine whether or not they get the recent NBA MVP candidate back.

Celtics firm on trading Brown regardless of Antetokounmpo sweepstakes outcome​

For nine years, the Celtics have kept a sturdy philosophy of making Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown the most lethal duo in all of the NBA. After blowing a first-round 3-1 lead to the Philadelphia 76ers and getting involved in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, these two will now likely be parting ways.

Per a report from Brian Windhorst on ESPN's Get Up, the Celtics are fully open to trading Brown. One would think that it's to chase Antetokounmpo and snag him away from the Miami Heat or any other contender but that's not the case. Apparently, if the NBA MVP candidate does not become an asset in acquiring the Bucks superstar, Brad Stevens and the front office may trade him somewhere else.

Obviously, this comes as a shock to most Celtics and NBA fans alike. Brown and Tatum have been the staple partnership that the Celtics have always built around. They led the team to six Eastern Conference Final appearances, two NBA Finals runs, and a Larry O'Brien trophy in 2024. Moreover, they also thrived as individuals due to playing alongside each other. But, a Celtics championship tends to have a pattern of sacrifice. They had to let go of Al Jefferson for Kevin Garnett. It was also immediately followed by trading away Wally Sczerbiak for Ray Allen to win the 2008 title. The same pattern happened for the 2024 NBA championship; Marcus Smart, the former Defensive Player of the Year, was dealt by Stevens and Co. to land Kristaps Porzingis.

There is still no certainty about which teams are in the bidding war for Brown but it does narrow down to those who have cap space. See, Brown is under a $303.7 million contract that spans up until the 2028-29 season, not a lot of teams can stomach that big of a deal in the landscape of the league as of the moment. One thing is for certain; the Celtics will lose their longest tenured player whether or not Antetokounmpo chooses them as his new home.

More Celtics News:​

• Celtics go all-in with Jaylen Brown move to win Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes​

• Tracking the latest trade rumors surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo​

• Celtics linked to monster Derrick White-centered trade for $110 million four-time DPOY​

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