The NBA’s new CBA has made it very complex for luxury-tax teams, such as the New York Knicks, to pull off trades for players earning in excess of $50 million per season. As such, title-contender teams may have to do a lot of maneuvering to land Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks superstar who is expected to be available on the market ahead of next year’s trade deadline or the offseason.
The Knicks already have a player on their roster earning more than $50 million per season — Karl-Anthony Towns, who has three years and $171 million left on his contract. Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey explained how the Knicks can execute a “simple” trade for Antetokounmpo, without the need for too many moving parts.
Knicks would receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Bucks would receive: Karl-Anthony Towns, Pacome Dadiet, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2030, 2032) and seven second-round picks
A ‘Simple’ Knicks Trade
Bayley argued that New York may already have the leverage, citing reports that Antetokounmpo expressed interest in playing in the Big Apple this offseason, which led to exploratory trade talks between the Bucks and the Knicks.
“It’s really only a possibility if Giannis forcefully, and maybe even publicly, tells Milwaukee that he specifically wants this destination,” wrote Bayley.
“That play might take a bit of leverage away from the Bucks and allow New York’s best offer, which isn’t nearly as good as what several other teams could put on the table, to win the day.
“If it did, the Knicks would instantly become the favorite to win the East, while the Bucks might be able to redirect KAT in a future, rebuild-focused trade before his contract expires.”
Giannis to Reevaluate Priorities
“As for Towns, he’s a solid potential building block for the next era of Bucks basketball, although he’s far from a perfect fit with Myles Turner,” added Bayley.
In the lead up to the 2025-26 season, Giannis was asked about the reports of the Knicks and Bucks engaging in trade talks over the offseason.
“First of all, I haven’t read that story,” Antetokounmpo said following Wednesday’s practice. “When the season starts, I try to get off social media and focus on my craft and the team. But yeah, I’ve said this many times: I want to be in a situation where I can win — and right now, I’m here. I believe in this team. I believe in my teammates. I’m here to lead this team to wherever we can go. It’s definitely going to be hard, but I’m here. So all the other extra stuff does not matter.”
The Greek superstar made it clear that he plans to play out the 2025-26 season before deciding on his next move, while also candidly admitting that the Bucks, who own the 17th-shortest odds to win the NBA title, don’t give him a chance to win.
“I think I’ve communicated with my teammates and the people I respect that the moment I step on this court or in this facility, the rest does not matter,” he said. “I’m locked into whatever I have in front of me. Now, if in six, seven months I change my mind, I think that’s human too. You’re allowed to make any decision you want. But I’m locked in — to this team, to these guys, to this coaching staff, and to myself.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post ‘Simple’ Knicks Trade Idea Adds Giannis Antetokounmpo appeared first on Heavy Sports.