Giannis trade buzz: Celtics, Spurs predicted to strike deal with No. 2 pick | rssama.com

The NBA mightiness witnesser a Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes this summer, which could greatly power nan offseason plans of teams for illustration nan Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs.

San Antonio is 1 of nan clubs pinch an alleged fighter’s chance astatine acquiring Giannis based connected their trove of draught picks and young talent. The thought of pairing Antetokounmpo pinch Victor Wembanyama has NBA fans salivating.

But a Giannis-to-Spurs waste and acquisition is not highly likely. For one, Antetokounmpo hasn’t formally requested a waste and acquisition from nan Milwaukee Bucks, and he has logic to enactment put heading into a 2025-26 play successful which nan Eastern Conference will beryllium a inferior varsity business erstwhile compared pinch nan West.

If and erstwhile nan Spurs’ expected Giannis plans autumn by nan wayside, they mightiness pivot to snagging different superstar from nan East.

New intel emerged connected Wednesday from Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix pointing to a imaginable Jaylen Brown woody for nan Spurs.

"The squad I'd watch nan closest pinch Jaylen Brown is astir apt nan Spurs," Mannix noted, per NBC Sports Boston's Justin Leger. 

"Sure, I deliberation (the Spurs would) emotion to make a tally astatine Giannis, but do nan Bucks inquire for Stephon Castle? Like, is that connected their wish list? And if it is, I can't spot San Antonio doing a woody for illustration that."

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"It surely is simply a problem for different day, but that's connected nan mind of nan San Antonio Spurs. That's why they want to clasp connected to Stephon Castle, truthful he tin beryllium that 2nd feline other Wembanyama for a agelong time, assuming they waste and acquisition that No. 2 pick," Mannix continued.

"I deliberation if you're Boston, you're not going to inquire for a Stephon Castle. You're not going to get a Stephon Castle successful a imaginable Jaylen Brown deal. You would get nan No. 2 prime backmost successful return. You would get nan Devin Vassells, nan Keldon Johnsons, early first-round capital. That's thing I'd watch if and erstwhile nan Giannis Antetokounmpo worldly shakes itself retired complete nan adjacent fewer weeks."

Mannix is spot-on erstwhile it comes to identifying Castle arsenic nan cardinal portion successful each of these imaginable negotiations.

Castle’s besides nan logic why a Celtics-Spurs waste and acquisition involving Brown astir apt wouldn’t happen.

Boston’s GM Brad Stevens surely wouldn’t beryllium willing successful moving Brown to San Antonio unless Castle was coming to Boston successful return, and connected nan different side, nan Spurs — arsenic noted by Mannix — surely wouldn’t beryllium willing successful including Castle successful immoderate package for Brown.

It’s arguable that, from immoderate team’s perspective, acquiring Castle would beryllium a much valuable move than acquiring nan No. 2 prime successful nan upcoming 2025 NBA draft. Castle is simply a proven performer astatine nan NBA level; nan No. 2 pick, of course, is not.

A Brown-to-Spurs woody isn’t likely, but Mannix’s thought process regarding nan Giannis sweepstakes and its consequences is intriguing.

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