The New York Knicks are enjoying some time off as they await the winner of the series between the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Knicks’ path to the NBA Finals hasn’t appeared more clear in arguably decades.
Picked by many to win the East, the Knicks will either get to play a Detroit team that is inferior in on paper talent or a Cleveland team with a track record of underwhelming postseasons.
But if New York manages to stumble short of the championship round once again, it perhaps opens all doors to endless possibilities.
Starting with the opportunity to acquire disgruntled Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
According to CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn, the Knicks are likely Antetokounmpo’s preferred trade destination.
“They’re favored to reach the NBA Finals,” Quinn wrote of the Knicks, “and they’ll probably at least put up a fight once they get there. There’s still a lot of basketball left to play. If the Knicks flame out in the Eastern Conference finals, they’re probably still Antetokounmpo’s top choice. But the more they win, the harder it will be to stomach a trade. That’s especially since making a deal like this would require salary aggregation, which would hard cap the Knicks at the second apron. Given their present salary structure and impending bench free agents, that might not be tenable.”
Time for a Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade? The Result of the Season Will Tell All
If the Knicks fall short of the NBA Finals, it moves one to believe the team almost has to make a major offseason move.
The Knicks, acquiring stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges via trades, built their roster to take down the Boston Celtics. They did that last year. This year, the Celtics never were a threat.
Last season, the Knicks fell short to the Indiana Pacers. This season, the Pacers never even sniffed the play-in tournament.
Long-story-short: there are no excuses for them not to make the Finals.
GettyNew York Knicks in a road game.
But if the Knicks pull a, well, Knicks, then it is hard to believe the front office will stay still despite the opportunity to acquire Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee.
Antetokounmpo, 31, is the ideal candidate for what the Knicks have brewing. All of their stars are around the same age and are very much in the primes of their careers.
For Antetokounmpo, coming to New York would keep him in the East, the inferior conference, and place him on a team that would likely be picked by many to win the East in the 2026-27 season.
Although the Knicks would have to part ways with some of their impressive depth, the ideal scenario would be them rolling out a core of Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson and either Bridges or OG Anunoby.
N.Y. Must Not Disappoint Again
GettyATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 30: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks reacts during the first half of a game against the Atlanta Hawks in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Right now, the Knicks should not be thinking about Antetokounmpo. They should be laser-focused on reaching the NBA Finals for the first time in nearly 30 years.
New York enters the conference finals hotter than a blow torch.
The Knicks are on a seven-game winning streak, with an average point differential of 26.4 in those games.
After consecutive losses to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs, the Knicks flipped a switch.
Brunson hit another gear, Anthony Towns played a lot closer to his ceiling and Bridges snapped back into star form after a few brutal performances.
The Knicks completed a four-game sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers — the same team that upset the Celtics in seven games and overcame a 1-3 deficit — and won three of those games convincingly.
With this momentum, the Knicks cruise into the third round with a clear upper hand.
Knicks Emerge as Giannis Antetokounmpo’s ‘Top Choice’ Ahead of Conference Finals