The 2026 NBA offseason has the makings of a hectic one, particularly when it comes to the trade market. Numerous superstars have been rumored as trade candidates, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jaylen Brown being the most notable names. The Milwaukee Bucks star has been in and out of trade rumors for years now, but this seems like the offseason that he could finally be moved. The Boston Celtics have been linked as a potential suitor for the two-time MVP.
A deal for the Greek Freak would likely have to include Brown, a player who won the NBA Finals MVP as recently as 2024. However, a rebuilding Bucks team likely wouldn’t want to take on another veteran player, so many have wondered if a third team could be added to the deal to facilitate a trade. Bill Simmons thinks that the third team could be the Los Angeles Clippers.
“Could the Clipps, with the fifth pick, move in there and be the third team?” Simmons pondered. “And then, the second piece of this, would they send Kawhi to Miami as a consolation prize?”
Bill Simmons on the Clippers being a facilitator to get Giannis to Boston, and Kawhi ending up in Miami:
“I heard this too during the weekend. Could the Clippers with the 5th pick move in there and be the 3rd team and then the 2nd piece of this, would they then send Kawhi to… https://t.co/gNSEnvTTcJ pic.twitter.com/t2CA3vkENz
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) June 15, 2026
By involving the Clippers in a trade, Milwaukee could potentially add a prestigious pick (number five) in one of the most stacked draft classes in recent memory. While the Celtics don’t need to break up the Brown-Jayson Tatum duo, especially after what was a gap year of sorts, Antetokounmpo would certainly be viewed as an upgrade for the team. The Clippers would also get a player in Brown who looked like a true number one option this season, with Tatum spending much of the year hurt.
Technically, this proposal includes four teams, as the Miami Heat would also receive Kawhi Leonard. The Heat have been reported as Antetokounmpo’s preferred destination, but Leonard’s defense and mid-range shooting would work well in Miami, too. He’d serve as the Jimmy Butler replacement that the team has looked for since his departure.
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