An unexpected playoff run for the Boston Celtics has done more harm than good. After the first round exit against the 76ers, even with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, it has once again led to questions regarding their fit together. Rumors have emerged of JB’s trade to bring in Giannis Antetokounmpo. Amid the drama, Shaquille O’Neal, who has had his fair share of playing alongside another superstar, has come to the rescue of the Beantown duo.

“I don’t think they should break up the Jays,” said Shaq. He made an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, and was not in favor of trading for the Greek Freak. “I don’t think they should break up the Jays. They just have to learn how to have better in-game adjustments. You know, the Celtics, they’re going to die by the jump shot and live by the jump shot. Jaylen Brown was playing excellent. And Tatum came back. Listen, it still could work. You can still have two alpha males on the same team doing the same thing cuz listen, they’re both going to touch the ball. It just comes down to who’s going to take the last shot. The game always dictates that. So, I don’t think there’s animosity between them.”

Shaquille O’Neal played alongside Penny Hardaway, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James. That’s how Shaq won four championships in 19 years. He even explained his philosophy during the Lakers’ tenure, where he won three straight championships with the Black Mamba. The Big Aristotle stated how he would dominate for three quarters, and then Kobe would take over in the fourth. So he feels Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum can also find their strategy to succeed.

It’s the same old story for the C’s when there’s rain down, they look like a supernatural team, but when it doesn’t, the team has no other alternative. After the seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers upset Boston in seven games in the first round, Brown said that it was his favorite season despite the loss. This irked some of the fans and analysts. Since then, JB has been on a ranting battle against Stephen A. Smith. And it has led to scrutiny about his leadership ability and his place with the Celtics.

Currently, Boston has roughly $15M under the tax threshold and about $36M under the 2nd apron. So, they don’t have to rush their decision to break the duo. But with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and LeBron James, among others, being the names for addition, the C’s will at least look to explore all their options.

Giannis trade puts Jaylen Brown’s place under threat

So far, none of the front office executives has suggested that JB will be traded. In fact, Brad Stevens came out to support his 5x All-Star. “I talked to Jaylen Monday a little bit, just real quickly, and he was nothing but positive,” Stevens said. “He has not expressed his frustrations to me.” Back in 2019, after Boston’s playoff exit against the Milwaukee Bucks, Brown privately questioned whether he could truly coexist with Jayson Tatum long term.

Obviously, a healthy Tatum and Brown bring optimism for the 2026-27 season. However, NBA insider Jake Fischer spoke about the hypothetical possibility of a trade involving Giannis Antetokounmpo heading to the C’s. “Any Brown-for-Antetokounmpo conversation actually does materialize in the future, multiple rival team strategists this week suggested that the likely appeal for Milwaukee, in addition to draft capital from the Celtics, would be to move Brown on or expand such a deal into a multi-team transaction.”

Brown is under contract through the 2028-29 season on a five-year, $303.7 million supermax extension. Tatum’s deal is for five years and $314 million through the 2028-29 campaign as well.