Giannis Antetokounmpo’s relationship with the Milwaukee Bucks is getting messier. Assuming the New York Knicks are still into acquiring him, they need it to get even worse. Because if the most recent reports of the Bucks’ asking price are true, Leon Rose and friends have no chance of striking a deal unless Giannis demands a trade to the Knicks, and the Knicks alone.
According to ESPN’s Ramon Shelburne, while Milwaukee was doing due diligence on the two-time MVP’s market, it rejected at least one godfather offer, and also sought young-star compensation as part of other deals:
“The Golden State Warriors offer included four unprotected first-round picks in pursuit of Antetokounmpo, sources said, but never seemed to gain much momentum on a deal.The players the Bucks did seem interested in were younger building blocks such as VJ Edgecombe of the Philadelphia 76ers or Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources said.”
Although the rest of this ESPN report can be spun into hope for the Knicks, the Bucks’ insanely high asking price is an obstacle that can’t be overcome without Giannis breaking character, and issuing ultra-specific, inflexible mandates to the only organization he has ever known.
The Knicks can’t compete even with lower-level Giannis offers
Don’t bother making a case for how the Knicks could build a package that rivals one constructed around someone like VJ Edgecombe, or Evan Mobley. None of their players outside of maybe Jalen Brunson would command as much in an open bidding war. We are talking about an entrenched, if imperfect, All-NBA player (Mobley), and a rookie who’s flashed similarly glitzy mettle, under cost control for three more seasons (Edgecombe).
Both also happen to be no older than 24. New York’s primary outgoing salary options would be much older. Karl-Anthony Towns is 30. Mikal Bridges turns 30 in October. OG Anunoby will be 29 in July.
Now, with Giannis heading into the final year of his contract, the Bucks could be forced to lower their gargantuan ask. That helps the Knicks only so much.
Their best offer will top out at two first-rounders (2026, and 2033), swaps, and some combination of the players we just mentioned. This isn’t getting it done. And before you say New York can turn current players into more picks, remember the Bucks apparently turned down four first-rounders. Beating that requires pushing the ante to five (though, pick quality matters, too.)
Point to the non-Brunson Knick who’s getting that type of haul on his own. I won’t wait while you do, because then I’d be waiting forever. But you’re welcome to try sussing out a prospective scenario
New York needs Giannis to channel his inner malcontent
Landing Giannis was always going to require multiple degrees of luck, and most critically, his help. Yet, he seemingly gave the Knicks his strongest nudge possible last summer, when he carved out an exclusive negotiating window for them. Nothing ever came of it, and if the Bucks have their eye on youngsters like Mobley and Edgecombe, now we know why.
Circumventing that roadblock requires Antetokounmpo to be even more brazen ahead of his exit. That doesn’t just mean demanding a trade instead of politely requesting or hinting at one. It means tapping into his inner James Harden circa 2023, when he made things so awkward for the Philadelphia 76ers that they couldn’t hope to move him anywhere other than his preferred destination (the Los Angeles Clippers).
Not every player has the stomach or personality for this genre of assertion. We’re talking about power and aggression that can verge on toxicity. Whether Giannis has this in him we can’t be sure. The Knicks better hope he does, otherwise he’s ending up elsewhere.