Celtics Might Swap Tatum or Brown for Giannis

Merlin sees Boston quietly primed to pursue Giannis if a shock playoff exit arrives. Sam Amick said the Celtics will "look at the landscape" if they lose before the conference finals, and offseason salary moves freed more than $300 million in savings that could fund a blockbuster. Still, the Tatum and Jaylen Brown pairing has flourished — Brown looks like a top-five MVP candidate and Tatum’s return helped the Celtics go 13-5 in 18 games. Merlin warns a Giannis trade would be fiendishly difficult. He is 32 soon, has an increasing injury log, and contract complexities mean Milwaukee would demand a mountain of talent and picks. Boston would risk chemistry and a proven core, so expect probing calls more than an immediate breakup — unless the Celtics truly stumble in the playoffs.