Giannis Antetokounmpo’s relationship with the Milwaukee Bucks seems more fractured than ever, which should come as good news to the New York Knicks. And yet, if the two-time MVP can’t reestablish an amicable partnership with the only team he’s ever known, the chances of him being shipped to the Big Apple this summer take a massive nosedive.
To be fair, New York’s odds of landing Giannis have always existed on the longer end. His interest in donning orange and blue last summer gave the scenario real weight, but the absence of a deal coupled with the Knicks’ limited asset stash puts them at a serious disadvantage. They will need serious help from Antetokounmpo himself to bag him, the kind of assistance that goes beyond a polite trade request.
A very public battle between Giannis and the Bucks over his playing status should therefore come as good news to New York. The two sides seem more likely than ever to pull the ripcord on their marriage this offseason. For their part, though, the Knicks better hope the drama doesn’t linger.
The situation in Milwaukee is getting ugly
Things have taken a turn for the toxic in Milwaukee over the past few weeks. First, we found out the Bucks wanted to shut down Giannis for the rest of the season after he suffered a hyper-extended left knee. Being Giannis, he of course was not on board.
From there, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne penned a riveting feature in which co-owner Wes Edens flat-out said Giannis “will be extended or he’ll be traded” before next season. Since then, the disconnect over how to handle the superstar’s availability has gone even more public.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the league is investigating Milwaukee’s handling of Giannis’ left knee issue. Though Giannis insists he’s being forced to sit out, the Bucks are saying he refused to try three-on-three scrimmaging as part of a pathway to return.
This disconnect reached a breaking point prior to the Bucks getting their butts beat by the Boston Celtics. “You know who you are dealing with,” Giannis told reporters pregame (via The Athletic’s Eric Nehm). “So for somebody to come and tell me to not play or not to compete, it’s like a slap in my face. So, I don’t know where the relationship goes from there.”
The Knicks should be rooting for a slight reconciliation in Milwaukee
Bad news for Giannis’ future in Milwaukee should technically be a welcomed development for the Knicks. We have long wondered whether he’d be able to channel his inner James Harden, and forcefully steer his way to a singular destination. An explicit trade demand now seems fait accompli.
And yet, every scenario that ends with Giannis in New York is predicated upon Milwaukee’s cooperation.
Forget about salary-matching for a second. New York’s absolutely top-shelf package would include OG Anunoby, two first-rounders (2026, 2033), Deuce McBride, and two swaps (2030, 2032). Other teams can, and will, beat that offer even without assurances Giannis would sign an extension. He is that transformative, and the Knicks’ most aggressive offer is that modest.
The calculus only changes if the Bucks feel like they must do right by Giannis. That’s supposed to be a given. He’s delivered them a championship, and over a decade’s worth of brilliance. They’re not going to ship him to basketball hell (aka Sacramento) or somewhere close to it after all they’ve been through.
Then again, if the relationship between Giannis and both the front office and ownership continues to reach previously unexplored lows, Milwaukee may not be so keen on placating his preferences. It still won’t ship him to a random team. Contenders are the only ones who will be bidding for him. But the likelihood of the Bucks accepting the Knicks’ best package exponentially shrinks if they no longer feel as obligated to Antetokounmpo.
Right now, the way things are shaping up, a messy-as-can-be breakup is on the table, if not an inevitability. The Knicks better hope that changes. They need an amicable split, not a Tristan Thompson-and-Khloe Kardashian level disaster.