The New York Knicks are heavily in the mix for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline, but they may not be the frontrunner to land the two-time MVP.
Knicks not aggressively pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggested on Get Up! Monday morning that they are not pursuing Antetokounmpo aggressively because they like their current group. He added that a big trade could be revisited in the offseason.
“The Knicks believe in this team,” Windhorst said. “They are NOT showing that aggression to get Giannis right now.”
New York would have to offer a big package in order to land Antetokounmpo before the deadline. They don’t have any tradeable first-round picks right now, but they will have up to two in the offseason, which can help them pull off a deal.
The Knicks could revisit trade talks in the offseason
Of course, that is contingent on Antetokounmpo still being available in the trade market over the summer. Any team who is willing to trade for him would need the comfort of knowing that he will sign a long-term extension with them, especially with how many assets that team will be giving up.
The Knicks built this current group because they believe it can win a championship. The first year of this core made the Eastern Conference Finals last season, and now they are favorites to represent the East in the NBA Finals, but there have been trails and tribulations that have many wondering if this team is good enough.
Right now, they are playing as if it is good enough, as they have ripped off six straight wins after losing nine of 11 games previously. They have a very talented group, but it is still to be determined if it can truly compete with the best in the league.
The trade deadline is Feb. 5 at 3 PM EST.