Surefire to Long Shot: Ranking chance of 7 NBA stars landing with Knicks
No. 7: The Knicks’ chances with Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo is once again an MVP candidate, the best player on the second-best team in the Eastern Conference shouldering an immense load on both offense and defense. He has shown absolutely no indication of wanting to leave Milwaukee, and the Bucks are a title contender. It’s a true longshot that the Knicks could land him.
So, why put him on the list at all? There is a sliver of disaster potential for the Bucks. Khris Middleton is an unrestricted free agent this summer and could leave for another team. Jrue Holiday is 32, while Brook Lopez will turn 35 before the end of the regular season. If Middleton leaves and the rest of the Bucks’ core drops off, the team could get to a point where they face the music and tear down. So, there’s a whisper of a chance. A faint whisper.
No. 6: The Knicks’ chances with Anthony Davis
The Los Angeles Lakers have two of the NBA’s top 10 players on their roster right now, and they were active at the NBA Trade Deadline trying to retool around Anthony Davis and LeBron James to try and compete for this year and next.
After that, however, James will be 40 and able to hit free agency. Does he want to stay in Los Angeles, or will he go elsewhere? If he leaves, or finally shows the mark of Father Time, do the Lakers decide to tear down? If so, the Knicks could make a move for Davis. He ranks this far down the list, however, because it’s highly unlikely Davis hits the trade block sooner than the summer of 2024, and the Knicks will probably have made their move before then.
No. 5: The Knicks’ chances with Paul George
The LA Clippers are something of an enigma. They have two elite two-way wings, which should be the bedrock of winning a title in the NBA. Injuries have certainly hampered the team, but even more so this team has lacked what quality championship teams have, where everyone fits into their role and performs even better than the sum of their parts. Leonard and George haven’t provided the leadership to help bring that team to the point of being a real threat to win it all.
Another year of disappointment could lead to wholesale changes for the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard has a higher upside and is harder to trade because of his injury history, so if the Clippers make a big move it would likely be Paul George leaving. The Knicks would be an excellent landing spot for George if the Clippers go in that direction.