The Celtics have been connected to Giannis Antetokounmpo in recent NBA rumours, with insiders reporting the Bucks star is highly intrigued by joining Boston in the trade. After initially staying quiet or appearing uninterested, Bostonās front office has reportedly shifted its mindset. Insiders like Bill Simmons noted on The Bill Simmons Podcast that the Celtics may be "playing possum" and are legitimately in the mix to stand toe-to-toe with Miamiās trade offers.
The Celtics have decided to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Giannis wants to end up in Boston š³, per @BillSimmons āI thought Boston was out of this. I know Boston was out of this. I was wondering if they were playing possum or not. I think they were playing a little possum.ā¦ pic.twitter.com/FGcGz2gwDH
ā NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 11, 2026
āI thought Boston was out of this. I know Boston was out of this. I was wondering if they were playing possum or not. I think they were playing a little possum. I think they are in on Giannis. Iām not recanting what I said before. I donāt know the reasons for it. Maybe they felt like Miamiās offer was an offer they could beat. Maybe they want to drive the price of Miamiās offer up and donāt really have interest in him. Giannis is pushing for Miami or Boston,ā said Bill Simmons
āThose are the two locations, and he really wants to end up in Boston because he would have the best chance to win a title. Boston is not ruling out the idea is my intel. In general, Iām prepared for anything with Boston now,ā he further added.
Giannis Antetokounmpo desires to be coached by Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla
Giannis Antetokounmpo is interested in the Celtics because he believes their deep, dynamic roster offers him the best supporting cast to consistently contend for NBA championships. He has also expressed a strong desire to be coached strictly and intensely at this stage of his career, citing massive praise and respect for Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla. Mazzulla appreciated the praise but deflected the credit to the players' unselfishness and dedication.
Following a difficult season where the Bucks missed the playoffs, Antetokounmpo's long-term future in Milwaukee has come under question. Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered another historically dominant but injury-shortened 2025ā26 NBA season. Despite appearing in just 36 games due to a lingering knee injury, he maintained elite MVP-calibre averages of 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 62.4% from the field.
