Getty Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks celebrates with his brother, Thanasis Antetokounmpo #43 against the Chicago Bulls.
The Knicks were named among four teams that could pursue a trade for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo if and when the Bucks superstar asks out. The rumors of “The Greek Freak” wanting out of Milwaukee picked up steam two weeks into the 2024-25 season, with one Western Conference executive telling CBS Sports’ Bill Reiter that Antetokounmpo could ask out by the February 6 trade deadline.
“There’s a rising sense of confidence that if things go badly in Milwaukee that Giannis could be available for trade, would really force his way out of Milwaukee, in the next year.”
According to Marc Stein, the New York Knicks are considered one of the credible suitors if Giannis Antetokounmpo decides to seek a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks.
In light of the reports, Hoops Habit’s Josh Cornelissen proposed a blockbuster four-team trade that would send Antetokounmpo to the Knicks.
Knicks would get: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Delon Wright
Bucks would get: Karl-Anthony Towns, Tyler Kolek, Jericho Sims, Pacome Dadiet, 2025 protected first (WAS), three second-round picks
Raptors would get: Pat Connaughton, two second-round picks
Bulls would get: MarJon Beauchamp
Cornelissen argued that the Knicks would be better off trading Towns instead of Mikal Bridges, their other big 2024 offseason acquisition, due to Antetokounmpo’s ability to play the four and five positions. Furthermore, the Knicks already have a quality center in Mitchell Robinson, who is expected back in early 2025 from foot surgery.
Should the Knicks Trade Towns Already?
The writer also pointed out how Towns, signed through the 2027-28 season, would be an attractive return for the Bucks due to his long-term contract value. As such, Towns would be the ideal “centerpiece” for the Knicks to land another big-time star, he argued.
“Smart front offices don’t get emotionally attached to players, so the fact that the Knicks are viewing Towns as both a player and an asset makes sense – but it would be a cold move to flip him again and force him to move from New York to Milwaukee,” Cornelissen wrote on November 6. “And more so, such a trade would assume that the Bucks are even open to a trade with Towns as the main event.”
Through the first two weeks of the 2024-25 season, Towns had yet to truly flourish in Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau’s defense-heavy system. After the first seven games, Towns averaged 23.1 points and a career-high 13.0 rebounds, but his inability to protect the rim remained a concern among analysts. The Knicks were ranked No. 20 in defensive efficiency as of November 8, a huge drop from the previous season when they ranked within the top 10 in all defensive metrics.
Conflicting Reports on Giannis Trade Request
Even as several NBA insiders had sounded the alarm bells on Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee, ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported on November 7 that the 2021 NBA Finals MVP had no intention to leave the Bucks, the team that drafted him in 2013.
“Anytime a team like that is struggling, there’s certainly going to be questions about the future of Giannis in Milwaukee,” Marks said on “NBA Today” on November 7. “He is not looking to be moved. Milwaukee is not looking to move him… They’re looking to try to figure out what went wrong with this roster to start the season.”
Since Antetokounmpo signed with the team through 2027-28, the Bucks have no realistic reason to make any hurried decisions. However, as modern NBA history has dedicated, superstar players usually get their way when they demand a trade.
For what it’s worth, Antetokounmpo previously said he intends to spend the rest of his career in Milwaukee while keeping the door open for a potential move.
“This is my team, and it’s going to forever be my team,” Antetokounmpo told Tania Ganguli of The New York Times in August 2023. “I don’t forget people that were there for me and allowed me to be great and to showcase who I am to the world and gave me the platform. But we have to win another one. “But at the end of the day, being a winner, it’s over that goal. Winning a championship comes first. I don’t want to be 20 years on the same team and don’t win another championship.”
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Knicks Trade Pitch Lands Giannis Antetokounmpo