Per Jake Fischer, the Blazers might be holding the key for a potential Giannis-to-Knicks trade scenario.
As rumblings intensify about the uncertain future of Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, a rising Western Conference squad has been pegged as a potential missing piece that could allow the Greek star to land in New York.
In his latest report, Jake Fischer mentioned the Blazers as a team to watch in the Giannis trade front. The NBA insider revealed that the Blazers can help orchestrate a three-team deal around Antetokounmpo with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Knicks.
The Blazers, who have a longstanding interest in Mikal Bridges, can send back the Bucks' future first-round picks. In return, the Knicks will finally acquire Antetokounmpo.
"No one is suggesting that a trade to the Trail Blazers is a scenario that the Giannis Camp would push for, but Portland still controls Milwaukee's draft capital in 2028, 2029 and 2030 thanks to the teams' Jrue Holiday-for-Damian Lillard swap. And I'm told Blazers officials have always viewed Antetokounmpo's potential Milwaukee exit as a chance to improve their own roster by jumping into a multi-team deal," Fischer wrote.
"So there is absolutely a down-the-road world where the Blazers could try to butt into, say, Milwaukee/New York talks if Giannis-to-the-Knicks ever got serious. File this away as well: League sources say Portland has long admired New York's Mikal Bridges going back to Lillard's first stint as a Blazer."
Tensions are already rising between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks amid a brutal 18-26 record progress. The superstar forward is also set to be out for over a month after a new calf strain injury.
The Knicks are consistently rumored as Giannis' most preferred destination, and a potential trade partnership with the Blazers could intriguingly aid them in getting the all-time great and be an absolute title powerhouse.
The possible addition of Bridges, who stands as one of the league's best role players and defenders, will be instrumental for the Blazers' meteoric rise under the lead of Deni Avdija. As such, the Bucks can finally kickstart a new era towards rebuilding by reacquiring their draft assets.
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