A recent Shams Charania report leaves the door open for a Giannis Antetokounmpo departure from the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason.
If Antetokounmpo decides to seek his second ring elsewhere, the Bucks have no incentive to tear down their roster and go into full rebuilding mode unless they are getting their picks back.
If not, the Bucks may likely opt for a return package headlined by an All-Star.
Enter the New York Knicks, who have been monitoring Antetokounmpo’s situation in Milwaukee, per James Edwards III of The Athletic.
The Knicks can give the Bucks an All-Star who is still in his prime to anchor their team.
Karl-Anthony Towns is the most logical choice to headline the Bucks’ haul in a potential Antetokounmpo trade.
Here is one interesting trade scenario floated by Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes.
New York Knicks Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Karl-Anthony Towns, Danny Wolf, 2026 first-round swap (NYK), 2028 first-round swap (worst of NYK and BKN), 2030 first-round swap (NYK)
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Josh Hart, 2026 second-round pick (MIL via NYK), 2026 second-round pick (MIN via NYK)
Since both teams are above the first apron, they cannot send out lower than the money they are receiving back. Towns’ salary is $1 million short of Antetokounmpo’s $53.1 million salary.
In Hughes’ trade proposal, they would need to rope in a third team to facilitate a trade.
Enter the Brooklyn Nets, who are the only remaining team with a ton of cap room. They can easily absorb the remaining three years and $63 million left on Hart’s current deal. For their troubles, they get two second-round picks and a flippable Hart contract for more draft assets down the road in this trade proposal.
Towns Makes Bucks Still a Contender in East
Getty Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks heads for the net as Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks defends.
If Antetokounmpo specifically asks the Bucks to trade him to the Knicks, the two-time NBA MVP has built enough equity in Milwaukee to get his wish done after leading the city to its first championship in 50 years. Ending New York’s title drought will cement his legacy.
With the Bucks unable to get a proper rebuilding without their picks, they might do this trade “probably because it has no other choice,” according to Hughes. They couldn’t do worse than getting Towns in return while also netting all the pick swaps the Knicks can offer and hoping that New York will be lottery-bound in 2030.
But trading Antetokounmpo to a team he doesn’t like might make their small-market team all the more unattractive to stars.
A Towns-Myles Turner may be awkward, but both centers can play post-up, too, especially Towns. So, they are interchangeable big men who can punish opposing teams from in and out.
While getting Towns will not make the Bucks a title contender, at the very least, they could still avoid the lottery in the weaker Eastern Conference. Then, tinker with their roster at the trade deadline of next summer again.
Giannis’ Future Remains in Doubt
GettyGiannis Antetokounmpo is still undecided about his future in Milwaukee.
According to Charania, Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee remains in doubt.
“We’re standing here, it’s Aug. 4. Sources tell me there’s still nothing set in stone about whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will stay in Milwaukee or whether he will be leaving,” Charania reported on Aug. 4. “And so, he’s going to continue to evaluate his future.
“I reported it in mid-May that he’s evaluating whether his best fit is in Milwaukee or is it elsewhere. And that process is continuing. There’s been some very real conversations over the past week or so. The constant question that Giannis has, though, is, ‘Can I win a championship with this roster? Is this roster going to be one for this upcoming year and 2026-2027?’ He wants to win a second championship. So, he’s asking that question over and over.”
The Bucks essentially replaced Brook Lopez, who signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency, with Turner. And then they got career backup point guard Cole Anthony to fill in the spot left by the injured Damian Lillard, whose remaining $103 million contract was waived and stretched to create cap room to sign Turner.
But those are not needle-movers, which makes Antetokounmpo antsy about his chance to win a coveted second ring, as Charania reported.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Bucks’ ‘No-Choice’ Trade Pitch Swaps Giannis for All-Star Big appeared first on Heavy Sports.