Knicks Trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo? Insider Reveals Who's 'Watching Closely'
The New York Knicks showed last season that they're one major piece away from becoming a true title contender in the Eastern Conference. If rumors prove true, it seems that the Knicks are looking for that franchise-alerting addition, with Friday being the first date for them to see if these dreams could eventually come true.
Friday marks the first day that Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is eligible to sign a contract extension with his current team. The two-time MVP and 2021 champion has a player option for 2025-26 and will be an unrestricted free agent the following summer.
However, if he and the Bucks can't come to an agreement on their extended future together, ESPN insider Zach Lowe is reporting that "a few preliminary teams, who at the very least, will be watching this situation closely," include the Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors and New Orleans Pelicans.
"The Greek Freak" himself has made it clear that he's not 100 percent certain of his future in Milwaukee.
"I am a Milwaukee Buck, but most importantly I am a winner," he said Bleav's "48 Minutes" earlier this month. "I want to win. And I have to do whatever it takes to win, and if there is a better situation for me to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy, I have to take that situation.”
© Vincent Carchietta, USA TODAY
The Knicks have tons of young talent (i.e. RJ Barrett, Quentin Grimes) that they could include in a hypothetical trade with the Bucks. Milwaukee would enter a rebuild of sorts if Antetokounmpo ends up being traded, but could arguably get the most from the Knicks in a deal compared to the other teams rumored to be interested.
Though a move like this is likely still a year away, it's no secret that the Bucks have dealt with their own questions this offseason. After finishing last season with an NBA-best 58-24 record, they were knocked out of the first round in five games by the eighth-seeded Miami Heat, a team that made it all the way to the NBA Finals (topping the Knicks in six in the second-round set along the way)
The Bucks then fired coach Mike Budenholzer in May, less than two years after he had led the team to its first title in 50 years during the 2020-21 season.
Losing Antetokounmpo would be the sour cherry on top for the Bucks. Regardless of when, how, or if Milwaukee's downfall continues, it certainly seems like the Knicks will be monitoring opportunities to benefit.
