The Celtics' attempt to trade Jaylen Brown for Giannis Antetokounmpo failed. What's the fallout in Boston?
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Ben RohrbachSenior writerTue, June 23, 2026 at 3:01 PM UTC·4 min readHeat team president Pat Riley once issued a press release telling then-Celtics executive Danny Ainge to "shut the f*** up and manage his own team," so you get the sense there is extra satisfaction to Miami edging Boston in these Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.
Not only have the Heat secured Antetokounmpo, forging a could-be contender (if Miami can flesh out a competitive roster around a two-time NBA MVP and Bam Adebayo), they have weakened an Eastern Conference rival, as there will be fallout from this in Boston.
AdvertisementAdvertisementHow could there not be? Boston offered Jaylen Brown, the league's 2024 Finals MVP, plus two unprotected first-round draft picks for Antetokounmpo, per ESPN's Shams Charania. This after Brown rallied the Celtics this past season in the absence of injured superstar Jayson Tatum, leading them to 56 wins and a No. 2 seed in the East playoffs.
Of course, there will be hurt feelings on behalf of Brown. How could there not be? He has given the Celtics everything he could, entering a Hall of Fame resume since they drafted him third overall in 2016. Since season ticket-holders booed his selection at a draft-night celebration in TD Garden, he has only made five All-Star teams and six conference finals, winning MVP of the Eastern Conference finals and NBA Finals en route to a title in 2024.
And what does he get in return? Well, Brown got shopped. Again.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to Charania, the Celtics also offered Brown to the Brooklyn Nets in a package for Kevin Durant in 2022. At the time, he had also just helped those Celtics to the NBA Finals, where they lost in six games to the Golden State Warriors. Who could blame him if he were ever to begin to wonder what he can possibly do for Boston to want to keep him?
The Celtics previously smoothed over their relationship with Brown with the help of a five-year, $285.4 million maximum contract extension in July 2023. Might they do the same this summer, when he is due a two-year, $142 million extension through 2030-31?
Is it wise, though, to allocate 35% of the salary cap to Brown when Tatum is owed the same? The Celtics answered that in the negative when they offered Brown for Giannis, preferring instead to pair Tatum with Antetokounmpo in the team's pursuit of Banner 19.
Now they must face the fallout. What if they still don't want to pay Brown, who remains under contract for the next three seasons? Or what if Brown, hurt by yet another round of trade rumors, no longer wants to sign an extension in Boston? The Celtics might, then, have to grapple with the idea of still trading Brown, this time for less talent than Giannis.
And maybe that is for the best. Brown, a member of the All-NBA Second Team this past season, still holds tremendous value, and maybe it is wise to swap him for a collection of assets that better balances the roster around Tatum. Some combination of Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones and Yves Missi from the New Orleans Pelicans could satisfy the Celtics.
But would it satisfy Brown, who would then be stuck on a bad team in New Orleans, just as he would have been stuck on a bad team in Milwaukee? The Celtics are operating as if the NBA is just a business, because it is, and Brown must come to terms with that again.
He has been as professional as it gets, returning each season better than he was the year before, and the Celtics will bank on that again, hoping he and Tatum — with a reinforced roster around them — can return to contention. But what if this was the last straw? At some point Brown should wonder what he could possibly do for Boston to still want him.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThat was the risk the Celtics ran by entering the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. A risk many Boston fans would not have taken, given a belief in a Tatum-Brown combination's ability to compete for championships again. With the right collection around them, it is a proven concept. And it would be more fun to watch the homegrown Tatum and Brown try to climb the mountain again than it would be to see Antetokounmpo as a mercenary in Boston.
But sometimes, in pursuit of a championship, you have to remove emotion from the equation, and that is what the Celtics did here, offering a homegrown legend for a hired hand in Antetokounmpo, because it represents an upgrade on paper.
But basketball is not played on paper, and players are not without emotions, no matter how accustomed to the business of the NBA they get. There are hurt feelings in Boston. The decisions do not get any easier now for the Celtics. Somewhere Pat Riley is smiling.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
