The New York Knicks' interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo is nothing new, but it should finally result in something actually happening this summer. As ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania wrote on Tuesday, the deteriorated relationship between the superstar and the Bucks makes a trade feel inevitable.
You have to assume the Knicks will be involved, especially if they come up short of reaching the NBA Finals. The expectations for this team are nothing less than a championship (so maybe even a finals appearance wouldn't be enough), and James Dolan made that clear a couple of months ago. That alone could steer New York toward cashing in on Antetokounmpo.
There will certainly be a bidding war for the superstar, as more teams will be in the mix than before the deadline, so the Knicks could have to be willing to give up more than they'd like.
Deuce McBride would probably be out the door, as he should qualify as the young talent the Bucks seek, but it'd take more than his $3.96 million salary for next season to get a deal done. Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, or Karl-Anthony Towns would have to be gone, too. On top of that, New York would probably have to throw at least a couple of first-rounders in Milwaukee's direction.
Knicks could decide Giannis trade is a risk they have to take
There are always risks when trading for a star-level talent, but for New York and Antetokounmpo, those risks would multiply. They'd be breaking up what was supposed to be a championship core for the 31-year-old superstar. If there's a player you're going to do that for, it's Giannis, but he, too, comes with his flaws.
One of the biggest red flags is his injury history: he's played just 36 games this season due to calf, knee, groin, and ankle injuries. He's missed playoff games over the past few years because of injuries, and he didn't play at all in 2024. That's a trend that could, unfortunately, continue, especially as Antetokounmpo gets older.
Oh, and there's the extension that he will be eligible to sign six months after a trade. New York isn't going to trade for him without knowing Giannis would want to be around long term, and based on his past preference for a Knicks trade, they wouldn't have to worry about that.
Antetokounmpo's arrival would ramp up the pressure to an even higher level to end the championship drought (assuming that doesn't happen this year), but at least we know that he welcomes (and is built) for that kind of pressure. He knows what it takes to climb the mountaintop after leading the Bucks there in 2021, and doing so with the Knicks would further cement his legacy.
That's the vision he and New York would replay over and over in their minds if a trade happened, but that doesn't mean it will play out that way. But, man, if it does..