The future of Giannis Antetokounmpo remains the biggest story in the NBA season right now. Antetokounmpo is thinking about his future after the Milwaukee Bucks had another lackluster start and his injury time out makes it harder to catch up to the rest of the Eastern Conference. One team is apparently the current favorite choice of Antetokounmpo if he hits the trade block.
NBA reporter Jake Fischer reported on Marc Stein’s Substack that the New York Knicks remain his clear top choice:
“There’s a strong belief leaguewide that Antetokounmpo desires one destination above all the rest in the event that he actually does fully ask out someday. New York.
After some further calls, I can confirm that the Knicks — as well as playing in Madison Square Garden — were the specific “temptation” that Giannis himself publicly acknowledged on Bucks Media Day as an outcome he pondered during the summer.”
The Knicks are already considered the favorite to win the Eastern Conference and make the NBA Finals. However, the expectations would grow even stronger if they could acquire one of the top three players in the league and a potential top 15 all-time NBA great in his prime.
Can Knicks Trade For Giannis Antetokounmpo?
The biggest issue for the Knicks in this potential scenario is offering enough to appease the Bucks. New York traded most of their draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges to be the final piece for their current core and lack young talent. Some combination of Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns would have to be involved with future picks.
Knicks management are rumored to have mixed feelings about acquiring Giannis from Milwaukee. The positive is having the duo of Antetokounmpo and Jalen Brunson clearly makes them a real threat to contend for the NBA Championship every season moving forward that they remain together.
However, the other perspective sees them trying to stand pat and build around chemistry. New York already feels like the class of the East, and other teams making blockbuster trades have seen their title dreams ending in recent years by giving up too much. Both teams agreeing to the framework of a blockbuster trade is the biggest obstacle.
Does Giannis Antetokounmpo Have Other Options?
The Knicks have been the one team rumored from last offseason to now as a franchise that Antetokounmpo would love to play for. Fischer’s report confirmed that temptation of both contending for a title and playing in a dream venue like Madison Square Garden make it appealing for the Greek Freak.
However, Brian Windhorst used his ESPN television appearances to claim that Giannis is willing to look at more teams than just the Knicks. The San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat are two teams that have been reported to have interest in Antetokounmpo if the Bucks actively start looking for trade offers.
Antetokounmpo’s move to New York likely only happens if he’s adamant a bout wanting to play there and Milwaukee’s front office does him the favor. This scenario is different than most other superstar trades since Giannis is already a franchise GOAT and led the team to an NBA Championship. The Bucks could prioritize making him happy as a thank you for all he’s given to Milwaukee.
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