The New York Knicks and star-hunting go hand-in-hand. They already have their star and face of the franchise in Jalen Brunson, and they traded for Karl-Anthony Towns at the end of last offseason, but they still have their eye on another star.
James L. Edwards III of The Athletic wrote in his latest mailbag that the Knicks are "closely monitoring" Giannis Antetokounmpo's ongoing situation in Milwaukee (subscription required).
Guess what? So is every other team.
New York is a contender without Giannis. The team is coming off its first Eastern Conference finals appearance in over two decades. The Knicks are in championship mode, though, with the conference wide open after the injuries to Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton, respectively.
Antetokounmpo's impact with the Knicks would be undeniable. He's one of the best players in the world. His drive to win a second championship could outweigh his desire to stay in Milwaukee for the entirety of his career.
Edwards wrote that he's spoken with people who are "fairly confident" that Giannis will begin next season with the Bucks, but that doesn't mean that's the team he'll end the season with. If Milwaukee can't turn things around at the start of next season, maybe the superstar will request a trade.
Knicks are keeping tabs on Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Bucks aren't well-positioned, not even in the East. They bought out Damian Lillard's contract a couple of months after he tore his Achilles in the playoffs, so they could have the flexibility to sign Myles Turner. It was an act of desperation by Milwaukee to appease Giannis.
Perhaps the Bucks will surprise many people (if not everyone) by getting off to a strong start, but reality may steer them in a different direction. At least they don't have to worry about getting eliminated by the Pacers again in the first round, or do they?
Giannis has given Milwaukee plenty of time to straighten things out. You can argue that he's given them too much time. Pressure is building on the Bucks. If everything doesn't work out near perfectly, it could result in their homegrown star leaving town.
It's hard to see Giannis not wanting to play in New York. He's spent the entirety of his career playing in a small market, but he knows what it's like to play under the bright lights. He wouldn't run from that challenge, but would rather embrace it.
What he cares about more than anything when it comes to his job is winning. Giannis could do that with the Knicks. He's already an NBA legend, but imagine what it'd be like if he helped end New York's championship drought.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves here, it makes perfect sense for the Knicks to try to maintain flexibility to go after Giannis if the opportunity presents itself. Whether he'll force his way out, and if New York will be a team Milwaukee engages in serious trade discussions with, is to be determined.