The New York Knicks may be the team that Giannis Antetokounmpo most wants to join, but the team will have to make a huge sacrifice to acquire him. New York is currently looking to win their first NBA Championship in over five decades this year. However, most expect them to fall short with the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs serving as the strong betting favorites. New York might have to consider Giannis as the missing piece if they fall short.
Fadeaway Media ranked the Knicks among the five teams with the best chances to acquire Antetokounmpo with the following realistic trade package:
“New York Knicks Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson, Josh Hart, 2026 first-round pick rights, 2030 first-round pick swap, 2032 first-round pick swap, 2033 first-round pick
For the Knicks, this is the final version of the win-now build. They finished 53-29, third in the East, and already reached the Eastern Conference Finals. Adding Antetokounmpo to Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns would make them a title favorite, but it would also gut their wing depth and leave them with a difficult spacing puzzle.”
New York would have to part ways with just about all of their upcoming draft picks that they can still trade and three of their most important players. The Milwaukee Bucks will expect a huge return from any time acquiring the former two-time MVP.
Knicks Would Lose Their Best Defender
The Knicks would be risking their future by trading this package for Giannis in the summer. OG Anunoby is the toughest piece to lose since he’s the team’s best defender and the third most important player on the team.
Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson add another two important players that would drastically hurt the defense. Antetokounmpo and Mikal Bridges would be the top defenders on the team to see two names replacing three of the four best defenders currently on the roster.
New York must live with sacrificing depth and their entire future of draft picks to take a chance at acquiring Giannis. Many fans would prefer to keep the current roster over adding another superstar since Anunoby and Hart make game-winning plays on both ends quite often.
Why Knicks Would Consider Making This Move
There is valid temptation to consider this trade for the Knicks if they get eliminated. Teams like the Thunder, Spurs, and Detroit Pistons are expected to remain this good or get better due to the young talents on their rosters.
New York would still be able to keep Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns as their two best players to form a big three with Antetokounmpo. Adding one of the five best players in the league to team with another borderline top ten team could improve their title hopes.
Teams that are in “must win” mode are the ones to consider these bold trades. The Knicks might feel that desperate since they’ve gone so long without a title and haven’t been this close since the Patrick Ewing era.
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