The Knicks are not among the favorites to pull off a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, with teams such as the Rockets (+200), Spurs (+300), Nets (+550) and Raptors (+500) viewed as bigger threats.
Still, the Knicks may have received some good news on a potential trade for the Bucks superstar.
According to NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, the “Greek Freak” prefers remaining in the Eastern Conference, which means the Knicks still have a puncher’s chance of landing Antetokounmpo in the 2025 offseason.
“Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name doesn’t typically come up in trade chatter — but around the league, that’s beginning to shift,” wrote Robinson.
“While the Milwaukee Bucks have publicly committed to their franchise cornerstone, multiple league sources tell me that if a trade were ever to materialize, Giannis Antetokounmpo would prefer to remain in the Eastern Conference. The reasoning? Strategic control. Player empowerment. Recruiting power. And a desire to shape the next phase of his career on his own terms.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Package
FS1’s Nick Wright proposed a trade that would see the Knicks and Bucks swap Karl-Anthony Towns for Antetokounmpo. Wright explained why Towns
Knicks would receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Bucks would receive: Karl-Anthony Towns, Miles McBride, 2026 first-round pick swap, 2028 first-round pick swap, 2030 first-round pick swap
According to Wright, the Bucks may struggle to get a better player on the open market in exchange for Antetokounmpo, but they could require draft assets to consider the offer. Since the Knicks traded away five first-round picks to Brooklyn for Mikal Bridges, they can only send pick swaps to the Bucks.
Knicks Don’t Have Draft Assets
Unlike the Rockets, Thunder, Spurs, and Nets, the Knicks are not flush with draft assets to entice the Bucks. However, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Antetokounmpo may force his way to the Big Apple if he really wants to.
Given the loyalty Antetokounmpo has shown Milwaukee for a dozen years, many insiders believe the two parties will work together to find him his next home. As such, the idea of Antetokounmpo landing with the Knicks isn’t a pipe dream by any stretch.
“So, he’s got two years on his contract,” Windhorst told ESPN’s “Get Up” on May 12 [h/t Bleacher Report]. “That means he doesn’t have to work with the Bucks. A team that traded for him would know that would have him for two years, but it would be better for all parties if the Bucks worked with Giannis and then there would be a contract extension put in place when he was traded. If a team which was trading for him knew they were going to have him basically for the rest of his prime, their offer would increase.
Furthermore, the Knicks front office has been one of the most aggressive in the NBA over the last few years. In the 2023-24 season, they acquired OG Anunoby at the trade deadline, and then pulled off two blockbuster trades for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges in the subsequent offseason.
