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Knicks Favored To Land Top Superstar

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The Knicks are favorites to land Giannis.

Leon Rose and the New York Knicks have had a whirlwind of the last few years. They’ve pivoted off multiple iterations of this core built around Julius Randle and then Jalen Brunson. In 2024, they traded five key Knicks and heavy draft compensation to bring in OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns. They essentially sold out to assemble the starting five we’ve watched all season. It’s worked to the tune of a 36-18 record and third in the East. We also know of their struggles against top teams and the concerns about a quiet playoff exit. If things go south in the second round against Boston, for example, Rose could be looking to make another transformative trade.

Knicks Favored To Land Top Superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis-Bucks Could be Headed Towards a Breakup

After enduring another uneven season in Milwaukee, there are whispers about Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s eventual departure from the franchise he’s spent his entire career with. The 2021 Finals MVP is under contract until at least 2026-27 but has seemed displeased with the decline of the roster since the championship. While Damian Lillard is having an excellent year, trading for the veteran point guard hasn’t improved the team. Milwaukee is in an extremely tough spot: they have an aging, expensive duo, not much around it, and few young players to develop. Currently, the Bucks’ roster is Giannis, Dame, Brook Lopez, Kyle Kuzma, and a bunch of replaceable guys.

It seems like a safe assumption that Milwaukee is going nowhere in the postseason for the fourth straight year. With Giannis still on the shelf and being stuck in the fifth seed at 29-24, it looks like another lost campaign for Milwaukee. Anything can happen, but the top of the East is much better than the Bucks, with no solution in sight. Furthermore, the team has limited future flexibility because of Lillard’s lucrative contract and a lack of young assets.

If Giannis is unhappy with his situation, he could request a trade as soon as this summer. Both sides would have some leverage, as he is still locked under contract for two more seasons, but an unhappy superstar is the last thing any franchise wants. Recently, Shams Charania reported that Giannis could look elsewhere this summer if the Bucks have another disappointing postseason. As a result, Giannis trade rumors are heating up again.

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Knicks Don’t Have The Best Assets, But Could Be Preferred Landing Spot

The Knicks are listed as the favorites to land Antetokounmpo if the Bucks move on, per Bovada Sportsbook. Now, these odds are to be taken with a grain of salt and can be influenced by many factors. However, it’s possible that the two-time MVP would demand to be dealt to a win-now team, which limits Milwaukee’s options. New York has always been an attractive city for stars who wish to play in Madison Square Garden. Now that they have the team to match, they’re always a threat in these situations.

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It is odd that teams such as the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic aren’t listed, as they have much more to offer Milwaukee for Giannis in the way of draft picks and young players. Again, these odds seem to favor the bigger markets, which could be a nod to Antetokounmpo’s potential preferences. It could also simply be the teams that bettors are most likely to wager on.

A Knicks Giannis Trade Would Likely Involve Towns or Anunoby

If the Knicks are targeting a Giannis trade this summer, they will need to match $54.1M in salary. Luckily, they have two players who could be the centerpiece of a deal like that. Towns makes almost that exact number at $53.1M, making him the perfect piece to structure a trade around. The two teams could work out a deal, such as Antetokounmpo and salary filler for Towns, Deuce McBride, Pacome Dadiet, and draft compensation. New York’s draft assets were gutted in the Bridges trade, but they still have several first-round picks to offer.

New York may only consider such a move if they keep Towns, as he’s thrived in the Big Apple. Defensive concerns aside (Giannis would be a massive help), KAT fits perfectly with Brunson, and the city has embraced him. The Knicks could still make it happen using Anunoby’s $39.6M. It would cost more in the way of salary filler and talent in return, but it is still a feasible trade. Antetokounmpo for Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson, McBride, and picks would work for both sides.

Again, it still seems more likely that Milwaukee shops him to the highest bidder, which would certainly be a team like Houston. Unless they pull a Dallas Mavericks and ship him to New York in the middle of the night, I’d expect the Knicks to fall short in this pursuit. Nonetheless, Antetokounmpo’s actions should be watched closely over the second half of the season. If Milwaukee flames out yet again, he could be on his way out.

 

Photo credit: © Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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