Giannis Antetokounmpo to Celtics Rumors Does Not Interest Paul Pierce: “You Keep Jaylen, You Keep Jayson”

Giannis Antetokounmpo is heavily linked with a trade to the Boston Celtics as they are rumored to be willing to part ways with Jaylen Brown.

Giannis Antetokounmpo to Celtics Rumors Does Not Interest Paul Pierce: “You Keep Jaylen, You Keep Jayson”

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Paul Pierce (Image via FirstSportz)

Now that the 2025-26 NBA season is over, most analysts and networks have restarted discussions about players and their potential moves away from their current teams. Naturally, Giannis Antetokounmpo is at the top of that list.

The Greek Freak has been a part of trade rumors for more than two years. His time with the Milwaukee Bucks in that period has been nothing but a disappointment.

His desire to win with the team is not misplaced. But so far, the front office has not delivered. That is the primary reason those rumors are growing by the day.

He has tried to stop the narratives from spreading, even making it clear that he has no intention of leaving the team that drafted him.

But in the NBA, news trickles through, and the media eventually get a whiff of what is happening behind closed doors. Now, the primary discussion is which team leads the race to land him.

Now, it is down to the Miami Heat and, surprisingly, the Boston Celtics. Once it was made public that the latter is willing to trade Jaylen Brown for Giannis Antetokounmpo, a former great did not like it.

I’m not in on this one. I mean, you were the number two, two years in a row, with what you have. You keep Jaylen, you keep Jayson, and you build on that. Like, don’t take that for granted. That’s a winning combination. I don’t care what people say.

Paul Pierce said

The former champion said this when his No Fouls Given colleagues wanted him to speak to the Celtics’ top brass to get this trade done. He does not want that to happen.

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Another former champion does not want Celtics to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo

Paul Pierce is not the only one who is not feeling the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade to the Boston Celtics. Another former champion, Jason Williams, agrees with his former Eastern Conference rival.

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum make sense for the Celtics
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum make sense for the Celtics (Image via FanDuel/X)

In today’s game, bro, if you can’t shoot threes, bro, it’s so hard to be successful. I mean, I’m not taking nothing away from the Greek Freak… I just think for the way Boston plays and the way Mazzulla coaches… I don’t know how that would work.

Jason Williams said on Hoopin’ n Hollerin’

The former Miami Heat point guard dived into the technical side, and how the Celtics play. He pointed to their overdependence on the three-point shot and how the two-time league MVP struggles in that aspect.

Instead, with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum already fine-tuned in that setting, it makes no sense to split it up just for some additional length.

On top of that, White Chocolate, as Williams is affectionately known, mentioned that Giannis Antetokounmpo tends to clash with coaches. That may not sit right with a fiery and outspoken coach in Joe Mazzulla.

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Skip Bayless has a contrasting opinion on Giannis Antetokounmpo

While these two champions took to the emotional and technical side to dismiss a move for Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Boston Celtics, others like the idea.

The Boston move makes sense. Reportedly, he’s good with it. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are never going to quite be simpatico… I don’t think they are going to be quite comfortable… I feel like Boston needs to take it up another step to deal with the Knicks… Giannis, at this stage, would take it up a level.

Skip Bayless said on Gil’s Arena

Skip Bayless pointed out that the two Jays on the Celtics might not have a major stand-off in the way AJ Brown and Jalen Hurts were on the Philadelphia Eagles, but they are not best friends.

If the Celtics can significantly alter the way they play, the 2021 Finals MVP can be the piece that helps them take the fight to the newly crowned champions, the New York Knicks.

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