Over the offseason, the New York Knicks reportedly had an exclusive negotiating window with the Milwaukee Bucks for superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. After breaking the news that the Bucks finally starting to listen to offers for the Greek Freak, ESPN insider Shams Charania followed up on Monday by revealing the four teams truly in the mix for the 2021 Finals MVP. The Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and Knicks are the leading candidates to be Antetokounmpo's next stop, according to Charania.
Knicks are alongside three other NBA teams on Giannis short list
In his appearance on SportsCenter, the insider provided vague specifics of the trade offers of three of those four franchises. Citing the Bucks' reported asking price of standout young players and draft capital, Charania noted that the Warriors' offer is pick-heavy, the Timberwolves' is primarily players, and the Heat have offered a mix of the two.
He did not provide any details of what the Knicks have offered for Antetokounmpo, despite including them in the small group of four teams currently courting the Bucks' front office with their offers. Charania also noted that Milwaukee could be motivated to make a deal ahead of the deadline because of Giannis' desire to play once he returns from injury.
That could contrast with the Bucks' direction organizationally. If they're trading Antetokounmpo, they're likely going to be rebuilding. Even when the superstar was healthy, their struggles seemed too likely to overcome in the form of a playoff run of any kind.
Even if the team prioritizes a return including current talent, which the Timberwolves' offer reportedly features, it's improbable that they'd be able to out-class the Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, or Detroit Pistons in coming years. Getting their rebuild started with prime draft position in the 2026 Draft could line up better with their intentions in coming seasons.
The Bucks have lost five straight games, leaving them firmly in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. The Charlotte Hornets, winners of seven straight games, have overtaken them by three games in the standings. The next team after Milwaukee, though, is the Brooklyn Nets. They trail the Bucks by 5.5 games as of Monday.
While Giannis' absence might help "make up some ground" in a potential tank-off, it makes sense that Charania would suggest that adopting a focus on losing games like the one the Nets cited ahead of the season would benefit Milwaukee long-term.
Whether or not the Bucks trade Giannis ahead of the deadline seems to depend on several variables, including the superstar's own desires and the returns that interested parties can offer. The Knicks, however, don't seem to still be in this conversation because of what the return would be in a deal that lands Giannis in the Big Apple.
That, along with there now being three other teams in the mix in contrast with the "exclusive" window they had over the summer, make it seem like their chances are as low as they've been in months when it comes to potentially acquiring Antetokounmpo.
If February's 5 trade deadline passes without a deal, though, the Knicks will be able to make a better offer for the superstar than they can now. That would play in the Bucks' favor, if they aren't in that big of a rush.