Amid reports that Giannis Antetokounmpo prefers a trade to the New York Knicks, ESPN’s front-office insider Bobby Marks floated a hypothetical scenario that would also see an ex-Lakers forward move to the Big Apple.
Marks acknowledged that a direct swap of Antetokounmpo ($54.1M) and Karl-Anthony Towns ($54.1M) works on paper, but the Milwaukee Bucks would want more while parting with their most accomplished player in franchise history. Since the Knicks don’t have any tradeable first-round picks, they could be forced to part with another key core piece in Mikal Bridges, leading to Kyle Kuzma being included in the transaction to make the salaries work. Marks floated the following on “NBA Today” on Tuesday:
Knicks would receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyle Kuzma
Bucks would receive: Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges
It’s worth noting that Bridges, who signed an extension last summer, can’t be traded before Feb. 1, 2026.
Knicks Have No Draft Assets
Some insiders have floated the idea of the Knicks shopping a core piece or two to build draft capital for a potential Giannis trade — especially if the Bucks prefer a package of draft assets and young players. Since the Bucks have little draft capital of their own, they could choose to rebuild rather than inherit Towns and Bridges’ contracts.
If the Bucks prefer the latter route, teams such as the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks would be in a much better position to pull off a Giannis trade. Even the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors, the other two teams expected to pursue Antetokounmpo aggressively, can offer at least two first-round picks.
NBA Waits on Giannis
Currently sidelined with a calf strain, Antetokounmpo is reportedly in the process of mulling his future with the Bucks, the franchise that drafted him in 2013. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the “Greek Freak” and his representation have been in “active talks” with the Bucks and are scoping out their options with the franchise.
Antetokounmpo, who could become a free agent in 2027, has the leverage in trade talks and could dictate his next destination, per Charania.
“[Antetokounmpo’s] contract status gives him significant sway in his future destination,” Charania wrote on Dec. 9. “Executives believe the NBA’s new apron rules, combined with his maximum salary and supermax extension to come, make a trade difficult and would require him to show a desire to sign long term with the team that deals for him. That gives him a seat at the table for his future.”
The Knicks (+300) are the betting favorites to pull off a Giannis trade before the Feb. 5 deadline, per DraftKings, closely followed by the San Antonio Spurs (+450), Atlanta Hawks (+700), Miami Heat (+900), and Toronto Raptors (+1100).
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