If Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes formally available on the trade market, the New York Knicks are expected to be all over it. Adding him would instantly increase their odds of winning a title, but actually pulling it off would cost a fortune.
Massive mock trade sends Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Knicks
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey proposed a wild mock trade that involves five teams that ultimately brings Antetokounmpo to the Knicks. Additionally, this trade would send Karl-Anthony Towns to the Miami Heat and Tyler Kolek to the Utah Jazz, while New York would send a 2026 first-round pick and two swaps to the Bucks.
“KAT may be in the middle of his prime and coming off a season in which he was a top 10-15 player, but Giannis is still in the “best in the world” conversation. And his relentless driving would wedge opposing defenses into the paint, creating precious extra time outside for shooters like Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby,” Bailey wrote.
“The two-man game between Giannis and Brunson could be every bit as devastating as the one the Bucks had with the big man and Damian Lillard, but with better support on the wings from Anunoby, Bridges and Josh Hart.”
When making a deal for a two-time MVP, it’s going to take a lot of assets from multiple teams to get it done. For the Knicks’ sake, they don’t have enough assets on their own to pull off a trade without including another team.
Antetokounmpo and Brunson could be a lethal pairing
Making such a trade is risky, as New York risks losing a lot of their depth to pair Antetokounmpo with Brunson. However, nobody will debate that Antetokounmpo is a better star to have alongside Brunson than Towns.
Brunson and Antetokounmpo could be an unstoppable duo together, and New York is already in a position to win a title. The argument to support making a deal like this would be to go all-in now while their chances to win are high.
However, the argument against doing it is that they run the risk of losing the continuity that has been built over the past few seasons. There are also the obvious injury concerns that come into play when pulling off a massive trade, though those can’t be predicted.
As of now, Antetokounmpo will likely begin the season still with the Bucks, but if he does become available for trade, New York should be all over it to see if they can bring him in without blowing up the current core.