Since at least last summer, numerous NBA analysts and New York sports media personalities have repeatedly linked the New York Knicks with Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
A report from last week said that “multiple teams have received a sense that the Bucks are more open than ever to Antetokounmpo offers between now and” this coming Thursday’s trade deadline. However, it appears that a Knicks franchise looking to secure its first title since 1973 may not be part of such conversations.
Do Knicks feel they need Giannis Antetokounmpo to win the NBA Finals?
“The Knicks believe in this team, and that could end up being an excellent assessment, or that could end up being a mistake,” NBA insider Brian Windhorst explained during a Monday morning appearance on ESPN, per Adam Zagoria of NJ Advance Media. “But they believed in this team last summer when Giannis was sort of loosely available in those discussions. They didn’t make an aggressive offer at that time to progress those talks. If they want to win a bidding war for Giannis now, I think it’s going to take a three- or four-team trade where they take some of their players, go out and get other assets for them and then come back to the Bucks and make very strong offers. That is just not happening.”
The Knicks improved to 31-18 on the season via a 112-100 win over the LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday evening. In the Eastern Conference, only the 36-12 Detroit Pistons had a better record than the Knicks coming off the weekend.
Eric Nehm, Sam Amick, Nick Friedell and John Hollinger of The Athletic recently named the Golden State Warriors and the Miami Heat as potential landing spots for Antetokounmpo. On Sunday, The Ringer’s Michael Pina noted that the Cleveland Cavaliers may be preparing to make a blockbuster offer to land Antetokounmpo.
Meanwhile, Zagoria shared that “one NBA executive told NJ Advance Media ‘summertime'” is when it’s more likely an Antetokounmpo trade will be completed. The two-time MVP could become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027 if he declines the player option attached to his existing contract.
Is the state of the conference keeping Knicks from going all-in on Giannis Antetokounmpo?
“They are not showing that aggression to get Giannis right now, and I think that’s because they like this team, they don’t think the Eastern Conference is a giant mountain to climb. And while this team has flaws, the entire East is limited in some capacity,” Windhorst added about the Knicks. “And so if Giannis doesn’t get traded and the Knicks don’t win the East this year, this could be revisited.”
The Knicks next play at the Washington Wizards (13-35) on Tuesday night. It sounds like things would have to go terribly wrong for the Knicks that evening to cause them to change their mindset about a possible trade for Antetokounmpo before the deadline comes and goes at 3 p.m. ET this Thursday.