With Kevin Durant now officially off the market and heading to Houston, the vast majority of teams across the league will have their sights squarely on Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo heading into the offseason. Without question, the New York Knicks should be one of them.
Since Milwaukee's 2024-25 campaign came to an embarrassing end via first-round playoff exit, rumors have been swirling about how the all-world forward could decide to request a trade out of Wisconsin in search of greener pastures.
As is seemingly the case with all top-billed ballers presumed to be disgruntled with their current situation, the Knicks have regularly been linked as a possible landing spot for Antetokounmpo if he is ultimately moved.
Now, though some may be skeptical about just how realistic New York's chances are of pulling off such a blockbuster, as the majority of their valuable trade assets were already used up last summer in the Mikal Bridges deal, there's one sales pitch Leon Rose and company could create over the coming weeks that may have them leading the charge in this summer's Giannis trade sweepstakes.
Hiring Jason Kidd could better odds of Knicks trading for Giannis
As things currently stand, the Knicks are in need of a new head coach following the surprise firing of Tom Thibodeau earlier this month.
Though the ball club has been reported to have interest in a number of possible replacement options, easily the favorite among the pack is Mavericks coach, Jason Kidd.
While early reports seemed to suggest him leaving his post with Dallas and journeying out to the Big Apple was rather unlikely, especially with the franchise rejecting New York's request to speak with their headman a couple of weeks ago, recent noise coming out of the Lone Star State has once again sparked hope among the fanbase that such a move could wind up being made.
If Kidd were to become available, the Knicks should absolutely be interested in bringing him on as their next head coach, for he's established himself throughout his 11 years on the sidelines as one of the best clipboard wielders the game currently has to offer.
Of course, what makes his hiring a no-brainer in the event that he becomes available is his proven, close-knit relationship with Antetokounmpo.
The two formed a strong bond during Kidd's four-year tenure coaching the Bucks (2014-18), and now, seven years later, their connection remains as prevalent as ever, with Giannis going as far as to refer to his former coach as a "genius."
Frankly, the logic here is quite simple: By hiring Jason Kidd, New York not only brings on one of the best coaches in the league, but, because of his relationship with Antetokounmpo, they simultaneously make themselves a more attractive destination for the two-time MVP in the event that he requests out of Milwaukee.
Now, even if all this plays out as suggested, there's still the argument that the Knicks may not have the most attractive package to offer to the Bucks -- Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, and a handful of pick-swaps would likely be the headliners in a proposal.
However, perhaps Kidd's arrival in NY would have Giannis label them as one of his only desired trade landing spots, which, by shortening the list of potential trade options, could subsequently lower Milwaukee's asking price.
Even without the potential for a Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster, the idea of Jason Kidd serving as the Knicks' next head coach has a nice ring to it. With that said, it's hard not to believe that his arrival wouldn't give them a leg up in the event that they actually do pursue a deal for the 2021 Finals MVP.