Another week, another superstar in the NBA entering the rumor mill. This time around, it is Giannis Antetokounmpo, once thought to be the most secure star in the league. While the Greek Freak does seem to love Milwaukee, and he did win a title with the Bucks in 2021, recent comments suggest that if he doesn’t feel he can win in Milwaukee he will request a trade or walk in free agency.
That could simply be an honest answer to a question, a bit of pressure on the Bucks organization to continue spending, or it could be a window into his evaluation of the roster around him. If he and the Bucks get to a place where a trade is on the table, the New York Knicks will be at the front of the line to add the two-time MVP.
Could the New York Knicks land Giannis Antetokounmpo?
NBA Insider Marc Stein mentioned the Knicks (subscription required) as one of two teams that could add Antetokounmpo, but opening up enough cap space in two summers would be difficult. They likely need to work out a trade, and that will require a lot of the assets they currently have on the roster.
What would it look like for the Knicks to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo? And what would it mean for the Knicks to have a true top-5 player in the league for the first time since the 1970s (apologies to Carmelo Anthony, Patrick Ewing and Bernard King who landed in the top 10 for a few seasons each)? Let’s lay out the deal and see whether the return is worth the cost.
Laying out a Knicks trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo
The first thing to keep in mind for a super trade is the money; especially after cap space dries up during the first few weeks of free agency, teams have to match salary in a deal. That rule is only more impactful for the Bucks, who are well into the luxury tax and can’t take back more than they are sending out.
That puts the onus on the Knicks to take back a little more money than they send out. There are a few different ways to build such a deal, but it seems like RJ Barrett would need to be the centerpiece. From there, the Knicks need to both get close to Antetokounmpo’s salary while including young players the Bucks will value. Here’s what one such construction could look like:
For the Bucks, they immediately get three young starters, which can either help them pivot into a soft rebuild or maintain a playoff team if they want to stay competitive for a couple of seasons. Barrett likely isn’t a future superstar, but he could make an All-Star team down the road, while Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes could be the long-term starting backcourt for the Bucks.
That’s before you factor in five first-round picks and a pick-swap, elevating this deal into the range of the package the Phoenix Suns sent out for Kevin Durant or that the Cleveland Cavaliers sent for Donovan Mitchell. The Knicks would send their own 2026, 2028 and 2030 firsts, plus the Dallas 2024 and the Milwaukee 2025 they hold.
That’s a beast of a package, and while it doesn’t boast that one true diamond asset, the upside on the later picks is palpable, and there is a lot of talent heading to the Midwest. Let’s assume this deal works for the Bucks; does it work for the Knicks?
Would the Knicks make this trade?
This is a lot to give up for any player. It essentially transports the entire remainder of New York’s young core to Wisconsin. Owing another five first-round picks will make it difficult to restock that young talent. The Knicks making this deal are leaning fully into win-now mode.
Yet the reality is also that this team would be very capable of “winning now.” The Giannis Antetokounmpo and Julius Randle fit isn’t ideal, but Jalen Brunson is a capable co-star to Antetokounmpo. Mitchell Robinson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo make for a solid 4-6 on a team. Miles McBride, Isaiah Hartenstein and Grayson Allen would fill out the rotation.
The picks sent out don’t clean out the coffers, either. The Knicks still have their 2024, 2025, 2027 and 2029 picks, a pair of conditional picks from Detroit and Washington, and a handful of seconds. That’s enough to work out a deal to turn Julius Randle into a wing, which is likely the best long-term move.
Losing Barrett and Grimes in a league dominated by wings is painful, but the offensive 1-2 punch of Brunson and Giannis is nasty, and Antetokounmpo alongside Mitchell Robinson defensively would be a powerful duo. There are fit questions to be worked out, but having Antetokounmpo and Brunson gives you the right start.
This is an expensive move, but it’s absolutely one worth making. Adding superstars is a difficult proposition, and this would gain the Knicks the star they’ve been pining for and accomplish the most difficult steps of team-building. Pull the trigger, New York.
Grade: A
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