The New York Knicks were not shy this summer about remaking their team.
After years of gathering assets and patiently biding their time to make a blockbuster trade for a star, the Knicks identified Mikal Bridges as the perfect fit and emptied most of the war chest to acquire him from the Brooklyn Nets. Then, with a major need at center after Isaiah Hartenstein walked in free agency and Mitchell Robinson was declared out for half of the season, they made a second mega-trade, sending out Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to gain Karl-Anthony Towns.
In making those two moves, the Knicks appeared to be setting their core in stone for the next couple of years. At one point they had been linked to an MVP-level star like Giannis Antetokounmpo, but with their assets now spent that appears to be a dream of the past.
What if it isn't?
As the Milwaukee Bucks continue their death spiral to start the season, a 2-8 start despite having their two stars largely available, the specter of a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade request looms large over the franchise. The roster around Giannis is old, injury-prone and slow, and they don't appear to be getting the coaching boost needed to overcome those challenges.
If Antetokounmpo does hit the trade market as early as the next few weeks, which teams would be in the running for his services? NBA Insider Marc Stein reported that four teams would be at the front of the line: the Miami Heat, the Golden State Warriors, the Brooklyn Nets...and the New York Knicks.
Stein explains that, far from a wish dream, a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade or something like it was actually in view of the Knicks when they made the Karl-Anthony
Could the Knicks trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo?
The first step in the New York Knicks trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo is a desire from the Knicks to move on from Karl-Anthony Towns. If they truly did have a future trade in mind when they traded for Towns, then it is much more likely they would be ready to pivot away from him. If they targeted him specifically, it would be a tough pill to swallow to flip him before he's had a chance to make his mark.
Assuming that they are on board, what does it look like to put a trade package together? It is certainly not an easy task, but there are a few pathways to do it.
Let's explore one such path and build out a trade to bring two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to New York. Pairing two players who finished last season Top-5 in MVP is the kind of super-team "Avengers Assemble" moment you only see once a decade, and it usually leads to a title.
Let's dig deeper and see how the Knicks could bring such a moment to life.