Bucks Zone

The New York Knicks are monitoring Giannis Antetokounmpo's situation with the Milwaukee Bucks

The New York Knicks have their sights on the Greek Freak.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
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The New York Knicks are still in a tight duel with the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, but that doesn't mean that they are not monitoring what's happening around the league.

According to ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst, the Knicks are closely monitoring the possibility of two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo wanting to leave the Milwaukee Bucks and find a new home.

Divided attention

In an Episode of First Take on Friday, Windhorst said New York has "97 percent" of its attention on its semifinal series with the Heat and that "3 percent" of its attention is on Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.

"There is no indication he has given that he wants to leave. But if he doesn't extend, it's a major red flag for what's going on with the organization. He's going to sit there and watch whether they're going to sign [Brook] Lopez and [Khris] Middleton, and I'm not sure they're going to be able to do it," Windhorst said.

There had been previous speculation about Antetokounmpo wanting to leave the Bucks, but he ended up signing a five-year, $228.2 million max extension in 2020.

The Greek Freak is under contract through at least the 2024-25 season. He can become a free agent in 2025 if he declines his player option.

Speculations of Giannis wanting to leave the Bucks are understandable. After all, Antetokounmpo's and the Bucks' campaign came to a disappointing finish after they absorbed a first-round playoff loss to the Miami Heat.

The Bucks were touted as one of the top title contenders when they ended the regular season with a league-best 58-24 record. The high expectations turned into frustrations after Jimmy Butler and the Heat dismissed the Bucks in just five games.

Future Hall of Famer

The Bucks have since fired head coach Mike Budenholzer after that debacle, and teams are now monitoring if the Milwaukee main man is open to leaving the squad.

The 28-year-old Antetokounmpo will undoubtedly draw a lot of interest from other teams thanks to his Hall of Fame credentials.

Giannis has already earned numerous accolades in his career, with seven All-Star selections, two NBA MVP awards, one NBA championship, and one NBA Finals MVP award. Being only 28 years old, there is still a lot of time to add to those accolades.

The 2022-23 campaign is considered Giannis' complete season after averaging a career-high 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists.

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.