TThe New York Knicks are 9–5 and winning again, but the noise around them hasn’t quieted. A run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season raised expectations, and now Giannis Antetokounmpo has resurfaced in mock-trade conversations this week, pulling New York right back into the center of the league’s biggest what-ifs.
A widely shared proposal from SleeperKnicks reignited a question that never truly faded: Should the Knicks revisit a pursuit of Giannis if the opportunity ever appears?
Mock Deal Sends Towns to Milwaukee for Giannis
GettyGiannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball against Mikal Bridges of the New York Knicks.
The idea came from Bleacher Report’s Andrew Bailey, whose trade concept was built on a stunning exchange:
Knicks receive:
• Giannis Antetokounmpo
Bucks receive:
• Karl-Anthony Towns
• Pacôme Dadiet
• Three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2030, 2032)
• Seven second-round picks
It’s the type of package that only exists in hypotheticals — but also one that forces a real conversation.
Towns has been excellent, averaging over 21 points and nearly 13 rebounds while giving New York elite floor spacing at center. But Giannis is in MVP form, carrying Milwaukee in every major category and dominating both ends of the floor when healthy.
A Jalen Brunson–Giannis pairing would instantly become one of the league’s toughest two-man attacks. Brunson’s pull-up craft bends defenses. Giannis collapses the interior. Shooters like Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby would see the cleanest looks of their careers.
Defensively? A Giannis–Mitchell Robinson front line would be chaos for opponents.
The downside is the obvious one: Trading Towns plus that much draft capital guts your depth. You’d have a terrifying starting five — and almost nothing behind it.
And that echoes what happened in the summer. Bleacher Report’s Giannis trade packages detailed how New York and Milwaukee held early-offseason conversations, but the Knicks never found a structure that preserved enough of their rotation to be worth the gamble.
Why This Mock Trade Matters for the Knicks Right Now
Giannis shut down the rumors publicly. Milwaukee still refuses to entertain the idea. He’s under contract for multiple years unless he asks out — and that has never happened.
But fans didn’t latch onto this mock trade for no reason. The Knicks are good enough to be bold. And any time a superstar’s name floats into the orbit, New York gets attached.
Even if this never becomes more than a thought experiment, the Towns-for-Giannis concept highlights something real: The Knicks are one of the few teams with the assets, contracts and stability to make a star-level swing if the landscape ever shifts.
And while the Giannis noise grabbed the headlines, another smaller idea may be even more realistic.
Knicks’ Secondary Target: Ty Jerome as Midseason Guard Help
Alongside the Giannis talk, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley floated a midseason guard upgrade that actually fits the Knicks’ immediate needs.
His pitch:
Knicks receive: Ty Jerome
Grizzlies receive: Guerschon Yabusele, Pacôme Dadiet, Tyler Kolek and a protected 2026 first
After Malcolm Brogdon’s surprise retirement, the Knicks have lacked a true secondary organizer. When Brunson sits, the offense slows. With Anunoby still rehabbing a hamstring injury, the guard and wing depth is stretched even thinner.
Jerome won’t fix everything, but his shooting, decision-making and composure would stabilize the second unit without costing New York rotation pieces or core assets.
It’s the type of subtle move contenders make while waiting for bigger doors to open.
Final Word
The Knicks aren’t chasing Giannis — not today, and not with the Bucks dug in. But the mock trade spotlighted something more meaningful:
New York is in a place where superstar swings and practical midseason fixes can exist in the same conversation.
If a seismic opportunity appears, they have the ammo. If all they need is a steady guard while injured players return, Ty Jerome fits.
Either way, the Knicks are positioned to act. And the league is starting to notice.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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