Celtics appear to have Giannis Antetokounmpo backup plan – 98.5 The Sports Hub

President of basketball operations Brad Stevens and the Celtics should not hitting their wagon to Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason.

Actually, Stevens & Co. might have already set their sights on a viable (and previously rumored) backup choice down in New Orleans with Trey Murphy.

“Boston could forge ahead with the Brown-Jayson Tatum dynamic duo and look for other ways to upgrade the frontcourt,” The Athletic’s Sam Amick wrote. “To that end, league sources say the Celtics are among the many teams with interest in the New Orleans Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III (if they don’t land Antetokounmpo).”

A 5-12 months Pelican, Murphy III is coming off a 2025-26 marketing campaign that featured profession-highs in factors (21.5), rebounds (5.7), and assists (3.8) per sport. The 2021 first-spherical decide additionally drained 3.2 three-pointers per sport (one other single season profession excessive) and in the end shot 37.9 % from past the arc over his 66-sport season for New Orleans. Of course, that elevated three-level quantity — each in makes an attempt and (extra importantly) makes — would seemingly make Murphy III a greater match for the Celtics’ system underneath head coach Joe Mazzulla.

And whereas he is clearly not Antetokounmpo, Murphy III has age on his facet (he simply turned 26 final week), and has one other three years left on what was a 4-12 months, $112 million rookie contract extension signed with New Orleans.

But counting on Murphy III as a ‘backup plan’ might show to be fruitless for the C’s, because the North Carolina native’s identify has picked up steam round NBA rumor mills. In reality, the newest report has linked the Hawks to Murphy III, even noting that the Hawks are keen to half with the eighth general decide to purchase him from the Pels.

Meanwhile, the Giannis saga has continued to drag on (and painfully so, I’d add) forward of the Bucks’ self-imposed NBA Draft night time deadline for a commerce. The newest rumblings on social media had indicated that the Heat have been within the driver’s seat on a Giannis commerce (involving 4 groups), however right here we’re nonetheless with out a deal.

And maybe, simply maybe, that’ll in the end be sufficient to get the Celtics to have a look at Murphy III as greater than a backup earlier than another person beats ’em to the punch.