Stephen A. Smith Urges Celtics to Trade Jaylen Brown for Giannis Antetokounmpo

The biggest name potentially on the trade market this NBA offseason is likely Giannis Antetokounmpo, as the Milwaukee Bucks are expected to make a decision on his future in the coming weeks.

Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam recently noted that the situation will ultimately be resolved in one of two ways, ideally before next month's NBA Draft: either Milwaukee signs Antetokounmpo to a long-term extension, or the team works with him on a potential trade if that becomes the preferred direction.

With that uncertainty, trade speculation has already begun to circulate around the league. One of the most intriguing scenarios involves the Boston Celtics potentially pursuing Antetokounmpo in a deal that would almost certainly require them to include superstar Jaylen Brown, who is coming off one of the best statistical seasons of his career in Boston.

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One of the voices pushing for that idea is ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, who questioned whether Boston should seriously consider moving Brown in a blockbuster deal for Antetokounmpo.

"I do, I really do," Smith said when asked if the Celtics should trade Brown for Antetokounmpo. "But it's not as simple as Giannis, when healthy, being one of the most dominant players in the history of the NBA.

"I think you do this other than Queta, who else do you have if you're the Boston Celtics in terms of your front line … you need more than that. Also the reliance on the three-point shot … that has to change … you can't just live and die with the three like that.

"I think if you're the Boston Celtics and you have the opportunity to pair Giannis with Jayson Tatum, you do it for an abundance of basketball reasons… but Jaylen Brown clearly loves driving the bus. Let him drive somewhere else."

A deal would be far more complex than a simple one-for-one swap between Brown and Antetokounmpo. The Bucks would also have to be willing to move their franchise cornerstone to a team they've viewed as a rival over the past five-plus years, given the history between Milwaukee and the Celtics in recent playoff matchups.

At the same time, it's unlikely many other teams could assemble a single player of Brown's caliber as the centerpiece of a trade package, which complicates the market further. Milwaukee could also choose a different direction entirely - opting to reset around younger assets and draft capital rather than a star-for-star return - which would open the door for other franchises to emerge as more realistic suitors for Antetokounmpo depending on how negotiations unfold.

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This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 12:19 PM.