Is Giannis Antetokounmpo's 'Better Situation' with Knicks?

NBA MVP and New York Knicks target Giannis Antetokounmpo made it clear that he could be lured away from the Milwaukee Bucks by a "better situation."

Giannis Antetokounmpo is guaranteed one ring this year, as the 28-year-old two-time NBA MVP recently got engaged to longtime girlfriend Mariah Riddlesprigger. If he doesn't get another, however, he could go search for greener pastures ... figuratively, of course, as he's a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Antetokounmpo's future has been a talking point of this offseason, even though he's up for free agency in 2025 at the earliest. Hints have lingered that Antetokounmpo would move on from his original NBA employers if he felt they weren't any close to helping him win his second championship. Antetokounmpo left nothing to the imagination during an appearance on Bleav's "48 Minutes."

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As long as we play and we approach the game the right way every single day, and we sacrifice for the common goal, I can see myself being a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of my career,” Antetokounmpo said. “But the moment I feel like people are not as committed as I am to get that golden thing in the back, I am not.

"I am a Milwaukee Buck, but most importantly I am a winner. 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.”

Does that situation lie with the New York Knicks? If anything, Antetokounmpo at least paved the first steps of his path to Manhattan.

Some have already made Madison Square Garden the destination: as early as last spring's postseason run, ESPN's Brian Windhorst said that the Knicks had "three percent" of their attention on Antetokounmpo's situation in Milwaukee. Bill Simmons listed Antetokounmpo as one of three superstars the Knicks were "guarantee(d)" to land from a selection that also included Joel Embiid and Donovan Mitchell. 

Beyond that, it's probably up to the Knicks, who reportedly made a play for Giannis' brother Thanasis earlier this offseason, to make their case for Antetokounmpo. Building upon a 47-win season and their first playoff series victory in a decade would be a great way to do that and they're well-stocked with a presumed core of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Julius Randle leading them into the future.

The Knicks might also be better stocked on tradeable assets than some of their competition as well: an ultimately futile play for Mitchell racked up numerous first-round choices while they'll also have decisions to make on developing regulars like RJ Barrett, Quentin Grimes, and Immanuel Quickley.

New York and Antetokounmpo's Bucks will certainly have plenty of high-profile choices to size up each other's rosters this season: the two sides are situated in the same group for pool play in the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament and they'll also do battle on Christmas Day in Manhattan.