Every big-market contender eventually flirts with the idea of landing the league’s biggest star, and the New York Knicks are no exception. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Knicks held exploratory trade discussions with the Milwaukee Bucks centered around Giannis Antetokounmpo, though nothing came close to materializing.
The conversations, described as preliminary and short-lived, reflected the Knicks’ growing confidence that they’re positioned to make plays for future Hall of Famers. But they also revealed something else — just how much the franchise values Jalen Brunson.
Brunson remains completely off-limits
When a player of Giannis’s caliber even becomes a hypothetical topic of conversation, most teams are willing to at least listen. But for the Knicks, there was one non-negotiable: Jalen Brunson wasn’t going anywhere.
“Team sources have made it clear that Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson was, as expected, untouchable in these talks,” Amick reported. “In terms of possible players being involved, the common sense lens turns toward Towns, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson from there.”
It’s easy to understand why. Brunson has become the heartbeat of the Knicks, both on and off the floor. He’s not just their best player — he’s their identity. From his relentless pace to his composure in big moments, Brunson has transformed Madison Square Garden into his stage.
Trading him, even for a two-time MVP, would undo the very culture the Knicks have spent years rebuilding.
Why timing made a deal nearly impossible
Even if the Knicks wanted to get aggressive, timing worked against them. Mikal Bridges, who signed a four-year, $150 million extension earlier this offseason, can’t be traded until February. That alone takes a significant asset off the table and limits what the Knicks can realistically offer before the trade deadline.
For now, the Knicks’ most appealing trade chips outside Brunson are Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson — all valuable in their own right, but not enough to make a clean deal for Giannis without including a mountain of draft capital or a combo of top-flight players.
New York’s deep roster gives them flexibility, but the league’s salary cap rules make blockbuster trades far more complicated than they once were.
A situation worth watching as February approaches
This doesn’t mean the idea is dead forever. If the Bucks stumble early in the season or if Giannis grows frustrated with the team’s trajectory, the landscape could shift in a matter of weeks. The Knicks have the kind of assets — both players and picks — to quickly re-enter the conversation should Milwaukee become more open to dealing its superstar.
The most likely scenario would involve player-for-player swaps rather than a package built entirely around draft picks — the Knicks simply don’t have any draft picks anyway. The Knicks are too far along in their development cycle to tear things down for future assets; they’re in win-now mode, and Giannis would represent the final piece of that puzzle.
Still, even amid the speculation, Brunson remains firmly off-limits. He’s the foundation the Knicks are building around, the one player they believe can lead them to sustained success.
For now, it’s only talk — but in a league where conversations often turn into reality overnight, February could get interesting if Giannis decides he’s ready for a new home.