The 2024-25 NBA season is officially in the books, the NBA Draft has come and gone, and now the much-awaited off-season has begun. With the “legal tampering period” beginning at 6 p.m. ET tonight, teams will be able to directly negotiate with free agents, giving us a clue about where certain guys will land. Soon, we will have an idea about which direction the 30 franchises are going to improve their rosters. Some will attempt to add on the margins of rosters already prepared to contend, while others will shed talent to rebuild for the future. Others have their eye on the ultimate prize: Giannis Antetokounmpo. It’s unclear just how many teams are legitimately considering a blockbuster trade for the two-time MVP, but the New York Knicks are definitely in that group.
Knicks Still in On NBA’s Biggest Trade Target
New York has several directions it can go in this off-season. They can bring back the same seven core players and run it back with additional depth. They can hope their sophomores develop into playable rotation guys on top of that. Leon Rose could swing a trade of smaller magnitude or target Jaren Jackson Jr. if he becomes available. Unfortunately, in today’s salary cap league, it’s very difficult to make trades when you’re pushed up against the second apron, as the Knicks are. If they wish to improve their roster through free agent signings, they only have the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.7M) available to them. Other than that, Rose will have to upgrade his rotation with veteran minimum deals.
So, with New York limited in how they can raise their ceiling, a blockbuster trade could be a possibility. Some may disagree with blowing up the core after making the Eastern Conference Finals in year one, but there’s no doubt that NY needs to bring a better roster to Opening Night to compete with Oklahoma City and others. Rose may deem that the best way to do so is to go for the biggest trade target on the market in years.
Would Giannis Be Available for New York?
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has repeatedly stated that the Knicks are “in on Giannis Antetokounmpo” over the past few days. According to Windhorst, there’s a reason NY wasn’t interested in Kevin Durant, despite trying to trade for him last season. Durant’s camp was interested in New York, but they rebuffed him, apparently to hold out for Antetokounmpo. Now, the Knicks face hefty obstacles in acquiring the future Hall of Famer. First, he may not even hit the market this summer. Second, New York will definitely not have the best offer if he is auctioned off.
This is the second day in a row Brian Windhorst has gone on television to say that the Knicks and other teams are holding out for Giannis…
pic.twitter.com/j14k3caZvC— Let’s Talk Knicks (LTK) (@LetsTalkKnicks_) June 30, 2025
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Bucks Want to Keep Giannis
The Bucks have maintained that they’d like to work things out with Giannis and keep the 2021 Finals MVP in Milwaukee for his career if he wants to. It seems that Antetokounmpo wishes to be a Buck for life, but is uneasy about the future of the roster. While I have no clue whether Giannis will ultimately choose to stay, one thing is certain. There is zero chance of winning a second title in Milwaukee during his prime.
Milwaukee has one of the bleakest futures in the league, and that’s including Giannis. They have few draft assets to end the decade, no promising young players, and are one of the oldest, most expensive rosters in basketball. Brook Lopez is 37, declining, and could be on the move. Their only trade asset to build around Giannis is now benched with a torn achilles (Damian Lillard). There’s simply no way out of the darkness for the Bucks without trading their franchise player.
Maybe Giannis decides that loyalty is his top priority, and stays a Buck for the rest of his career. Dirk Nowitzki did. It would be commendable to stick with the franchise that gave him his first shot at stardom, but if he does, he can kiss his chances at a second title goodbye. Time will tell whether he requests a trade.
Can New York Afford Him?
There are Two Possible Giannis Antetokounmpo Knicks Trades
The most basic trade for NY to bring Giannis to the Mecca is easy: send Karl-Anthony Towns to Milwaukee. It’s a straight up, one-for-one player deal for almost identical salaries. The Knicks would have to sweeten the deal with two or more first-round draft picks. Unfortunately, New York doesn’t have close to the best draft assets, which makes it much harder to bring in the superstar.
Another way to build this trade is to center it around OG Anunoby. Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson, and Miles McBride could be an enticing package for the Bucks to build their future. The money works, and that is certainly an excellent trade package. New York will have to hope that teams like San Antonio, Houston, or Oklahoma City don’t get involved, which seems unlikely. However, if Antetokounmpo wants to play at Madison Square Garden for an iconic franchise, he could demand his destination. Milwaukee may honor his wishes, considering everything he’s done for them.
In short, the Knicks are still a very unlikely suitor for Giannis Antetokounmpo. It remains a pipe dream that the NBA legend will suit up for New York next year, but it is becoming more likely by the day. If possible, Leon Rose should do everything he can to make it happen.
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