The New York Knicks nearly landed Milwaukee Bucks’ superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo this past offseason. The two sides reportedly had mutual interest, but a deal was never agreed upon.
Knicks may have missed a chance to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo
Some new light has been shed on the saga. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that there was a period of time when the Knicks knew that the interest in joining them was there.
“There was a 2-week period where the Knicks knew Giannis wanted to play there, so did the Bucks. Conversations were happening, and offers were made. It wasn’t finalized, but the Knicks had their shot,” Charania said on the Flagrant Podcast.
New York might have missed their opportunity to acquire the two-time MVP out of Milwaukee. Antetokounmpo’s future with the Bucks is murky, and New York is expected to be one of the teams that may pursue him should he become available on the trade market.
Acquiring Antetokounmpo will cost a lot
The Knicks would have to make a very hefty offer to acquire him. At the bare minimum, it would require giving up Karl-Anthony Towns and potentially another key rotation piece, along with some draft capital.
The Knicks don’t have as many draft assets as they once had, as they traded away five first-round picks to acquire Mikal Bridges in the 2024 offseason. New York extended Bridges’ contract for four years and $150 million this past offseason.
New York got a glimpse of what they missed out on firsthand this past Tuesday, as Antetokounmpo scored 37 points en route to a comeback victory over the Knicks. Of course, they will still have the opportunity to trade for him depending on how the season is playing out, but they may have less leverage than they did over the summer.
Nevertheless, New York will continue to be linked to the superstar until there is more clarity on what the future holds for him.