The Boston Celtics have entered the race for Giannis Antetokounmpo in earnest, and the message they're sending is clear: everyone on the roster is on the table except one. The Greek superstar is the target, and the only untouchable player in a potential trade is Jayson Tatum.

According to insider sources, the Celtics are ringing all around and are open to talking about anyone in the lineup if it means landing Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee. "Boston is contacting a lot of teams right now and is ready to trade everyone except Tatum," the reports say. That doesn't mean a deal is done - it means the appetite is serious.

For now it looks like a race between two teams, Boston and Milwaukee, even though Miami Heat were long seen as the favourites to get the Greek. According to the same sources, the Heat now feel threatened precisely because of the Celtics entering the game - which shows how seriously they take the competition.

Behind the whole story is Boston's disappointing season, which ended with an exit already in the first round of the playoffs. When a team with such ambitions goes home that early, the reaction is rarely patience. Antetokounmpo is exactly the type of player you build a new project around - and the Celtics clearly don't want to wait another season to prove something.

The price would, of course, be enormous. Any deal around Antetokounmpo demands a package that hurts - young players, experienced names and draft picks piled together. The question isn't whether Boston can offer enough, but whether Milwaukee even wants to release the player the entire franchise is built around. While everyone is officially silent, the phones, as usual, aren't resting.