Any potential trade that the Knicks make for Giannis Antetokounmpo would more than likely involve Karl-Anthony Towns. That would mean that the Knicks would need to rely heavily on Mitchell Robinson, who would be the only trusted center on their roster.
It would also mean that the Knicks would have to give Robinson a new contract, as he will become an unrestricted free agent following this season. Ian Begley of SNY recently speculated that the fact that no extension has happened means that Robinson and the Knicks are likely pretty far apart on what they deem to be a fair number for a new deal.
Speaking on The Zach Lowe Show, Zach Lowe noted that if Towns were traded in a deal, the Knicks would likely have to bring in another center as well.
Suddenly Robinson's health becomes more concerning
Big Mitch has been plagued by injuries throughout his career. He appeared in only 17 games last season and only 31 the year before. In his seven-year career, he has failed to play 60 games four times. It is the unfortunate reality that the Knicks have to account for when analyzing their roster.
As good as Robinson is when he is on the floor, you have to account for him missing significant time every season. Heading into this year, he is healthy and has been dominant when on the floor. Still, the Knicks are already planning on being careful with their big man. Robinson will likely sit out the second game of back-to-backs, and his minutes will be closely monitored, at least to start the season.
If Towns were shipped out, the Knicks would suddenly be relying extremely heavily on Robinson to remain healthy.
Spacing concerns?
There is also the obvious potential concerns for how the Knicks' spacing would look. If OG Anunoby and Towns both departed in a hypothetical deal for the Greek Freak, the Knicks might be looking at a lineup that is composed of Antetokounmpo, Robinson, and Josh Hart.
There is obviously tremendous offensive upside in an offensive pairing of Antetokounmpo and Jalen Brunson, but they would be asked to do a lot, all in sub-optimal spacing. Time will tell how the situation plays out. For now, it seems the Knicks will be moving forward with the roster they have. If the situation is deemed a failure, the Giannis rumors will only get louder and louder, however.