Deadlines tend to inspire behavior change.<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s the end of the shot clock, or the final seconds of a game, we\u2019ve seen countless on-court examples of how that time element sparks something \u2014 good or bad \u2014 when the pressure builds to a crescendo. The NBA trade market is no different.<\/p>\n
Welcome to the final days (most likely) of the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.<\/p>\n
With the Milwaukee Bucks\u2019 self-imposed deadline of Tuesday\u2019s first round of the NBA Draft fast approaching, there remains some mystery as to whether the Bucks will, in fact, follow the playbook laid out by co-owner Jimmy Haslam.<\/p>\n
The Boston Celtics, as has been the case for some time now, have serious interest<\/a> and remain a significant threat to derail Miami Heat president Pat Riley\u2019s plans in the 11th hour of negotiations. If, that is, the Celtics are willing to do what it takes before this (unofficial) buzzer sounds to get a deal done.<\/p>\n The 3 teams that should trade for Giannis<\/p>\n Esfandiar Baraheni<\/p>\n Of all the questions that remain unanswered on this front, and which will likely dictate how it all ends, that might top the list. The Celtics have gone to great lengths to avoid the elephant in the room here, but Jaylen Brown would need to be part of any deal for Antetokounmpo. And if Boston had its way, it seems, the conversation would start and end there with a one-for-one swap of fellow All-Stars who are still in their respective primes (Antetokounmpo is 31; Brown is 29). Lest anyone forgets, Brown is coming off his best season yet, finishing sixth in MVP voting.<\/p>\n It\u2019s unclear if the Bucks would look to build around Brown as a centerpiece, as many rival executives have recently predicted, or perhaps rebuild by sending him elsewhere for young players and picks. But whichever path they might select, it\u2019s widely believed that Brown alone wouldn\u2019t be enough for Milwaukee.<\/p>\n Boston could add up to three future first-round picks in the deal, and the fact that Antetokounmpo is known to be comfortable signing an extension with the Celtics should, in theory, compel them to go all-in here. After all, Antetokounmpo is a champion, two-time MVP and former Defensive Player of the Year whose overall body of work far exceeds Brown\u2019s. All-time greats who plan on dominating for years to come just don\u2019t hit the market all that often.<\/p>\n Then again, the Celtics\u2019 desperation level simply isn\u2019t at the level of the Heat\u2019s. By all accounts, Boston could forge ahead with the Brown-Jayson Tatum dynamic duo and look for other ways to upgrade the frontcourt. To that end, league sources say the Celtics are among the many teams with interest in the New Orleans Pelicans\u2019 Trey Murphy III (if they don\u2019t land Antetokounmpo).<\/p>\n So what if draft day comes, and the Bucks\u2019 brass \u2014 led by Haslam and longtime general manager Jon Horst \u2014 simply don\u2019t feel good enough about the final offers? It was a calculated risk to push this massive decision into the summertime, when the hope was that the market would improve and the line of serious suitors would be a country mile long. That does not appear to be the case.<\/p>\n Some rival executives still believe the Bucks are underwhelmed by the offers, but the Bucks\u2019 longstanding commitment to organizational secrecy means there could be promising talks happening that haven\u2019t been shared with the public just yet. These next few days, if nothing else, should reveal which reality they\u2019re facing.<\/p>\n News and notes<\/p>\n \u2022 Meanwhile, in Memphis, Ja Morant was once the superstar whose uncertain future we analyzed at every turn. And then, somewhere along the line, the noise around him simply went quiet. Yet league sources say the Grizzlies are hopeful that Morant will be some team\u2019s Plan B when the dust settles on Antetokounmpo\u2019s situation. The Heat, in particular, have long been known to have serious interest in the 26-year-old, two-time All-Star. The thinking, it seems, is that Miami\u2019s potential package might reset the market that has otherwise been extremely soft for Morant.<\/p>\n In the absence of that sort of suitor, the Grizzlies have been faced with teams like the Sacramento Kings that, in the past, were only willing to take on Morant if they also received additional draft assets in return. Morant has two years and a combined $87 million left on his deal.<\/p>\n \u2022 League sources also confirmed a report from NBA reporter Jake Fischer that the LA Clippers\u2019 Kawhi Leonard is on the Heat\u2019s Plan B list (or the Golden State Warriors\u2019 Plan A list). The issue around the league, however, is that no one seems to know if Leonard is truly available. Or, for that matter, if the NBA\u2019s never-ending investigation into the Clippers\u2019 alleged salary cap circumvention<\/a> with Leonard might be an issue for any team that takes him on when it comes to possible discipline. Leonard, the 34-year-old, seven-time All-Star who was second-team All-NBA last season, is entering the final year of his deal (worth $50.3 million).<\/p>\n \u2022 Speaking of Plan Bs, league sources say the Portland Trail Blazers would have serious interest in Brown if the Celtics made him available. The Blazers have been among the suitors for Antetokounmpo since the February trade deadline but appear to be on the outside looking in at the moment. Similarly, league sources say the Minnesota Timberwolves \u2014 whose Antetokounmpo pursuit also appears to have cooled \u2014 have strong interest in the Celtics\u2019 Derrick White.<\/p>\n \u2022 League sources say Detroit Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart is available. The Pistons, in search of additional shooting and playmakers, appear ready to rely on seventh-year big man Paul Reed in an increased role. Stewart has two years and a combined $30 million left on his deal (team option in the second season). Detroit, which is believed to be among the suitors for Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves if he makes it to unrestricted free agency, is also said to be interested in the Oklahoma City Thunder\u2019s Isaiah Joe.<\/p>\n Reaves, who is expected to decline his player option for next season, can come to terms with the Lakers before free agency begins on July 1.<\/p>\n