The New York Knicks and Giannis Antetokounmpo are a pairing that will be tied together until there is more clarity on his situation with the Milwaukee Bucks. After Shams Charania of ESPN reported that the two-time MVP wanted to be traded to the Knicks this summer, the rumor mill has spiraled.
Giannis Antetokounmpo responds to Knicks rumors
Antetokounmpo responded to the report following the Bucks’ practice on Wednesday, and his words are certainly indicative of an uncertain future.
“I’ve communicated with my teammates, the people I respect and love – the moment that I step on this court, in this facility, wear this jersey, the rest does not matter. I’m locked in to whatever I have in front of me. Now, if in 6-7 months I change my mind, that’s human too. You’re allowed to make any decision you want. But I’m locked in to this team, these guys and this group, the coaching staff, and myself,” Antetokounmpo said (h/t SNY).
Evidently, Antetokounmpo knows that his future in Milwaukee is uncertain. The team is in an interesting spot right now where they seem to be planning towards a possible rebuild, especially after letting go of Damian Lillard and signing Myles Turner this summer.
According to Charania, the Knicks and Bucks did discuss a trade for the superstar forward back in August. However, nothing significant materialized, and neither side felt that the other was serious about pursuing such a deal.
The Knicks could be set up to acquire Antetokounmpo
A trade for Antetokounmpo would massively shake up their current roster and would likely involve a third team at the very least. The Knicks don’t have a ton of movable assets that would get a deal done, so they would need some help from another team.
New York has a good enough team right now to compete for a championship, so it may not be in their best interest to blow up the core for him just yet. However, pairing Antetokounmpo with Jalen Brunson would make them by far the favorites in the Eastern Conference.
If or when he becomes available on the market, the Knicks should pounce on the opportunity to add another superstar to the Mecca.