New York Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Towns trade rumors, Guerschon Yabusele trade rumors, Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors, Knicks Giannis trade, Giannis Bucks trade rumors, Knicks trade targets
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Despite being the team longest linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo in trade rumors, the possibility of the New York Knicks adding him isn't easy.
While the uncertain future of Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Milwaukee Bucks has been publicly known for a while, no team has been directly linked to the star longer than the New York Knicks, as it was reported by Shams Charania that the player and franchise shared mutual interest in each other over the summer.
While the Knicks have remained hopeful of landing the two-time regular-season MVP, as the weeks and months have gone on, the idea of Antetokounmpo ending up in New York has only become more and more unlikely.
Shams Charania
New York emerged as the only team Giannis Antetokounmpo desired outside of Milwaukee in the offseason, sources told ESPN, and the Knicks and Bucks engaged in talks for a window of time.
Inside the clouds leaving Giannis’ future hanging in the balance:
Along with the fact that other teams, like the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers, are in the mix, but like those two, the Knicks are heavily restricted on any possible packages they can offer up for Antetokounmpo.
Along with their cap and trade restrictions, the possibility of the Knicks adding the Greek star has been mostly contingent on New York moving Karl-Anthony Towns, and while that did seem like a very likely outcome, the latest reports signal they don’t have plans on moving the center anytime soon.
Without adding his massive contract in a trade, the idea of the Bucks sending Antetokounmpo to the Knicks only shrinks as the deadline approaches.
Knicks Giannis Trade Rumors Take Brutal Turn
In an article on ESPN about each team’s likelihood of adding what the 2021 Finals MVP, insider Bobby Marks, gave a brutally honest outlook on the Knicks’ chances to add the player who has a growingly uncertain future in Milwaukee.
Along with their limited draft capital and the money they have tied up with their main stars, both of which are connected issues, New York is extremely hogtied as to what they could offer the Bucks for their star.
“New York’s one tradeable pick likely won’t convey, so any Antetokounmpo offer will require a star,” Marks wrote. “And because it is over the first apron, New York is not allowed to take on more salary than it sends out in a trade. That would leave the front office with the option of swappingKarl-Anthony Towns straight up or packaging a combination ofOG Anunoby,Josh Hart andMikal Bridges.”
The insider added that the Knicks are less than $150,000 away from being hard-capped at the second apron. While they have three available pick swaps, it’s hard to see any of them moving the needle in a deal for Antetokounmpo that wouldn’t involve New York massively overhauling their roster.
Yes, a package highlighted by either Towns or their other starters would be a better offer than the Warriors or Lakers could likely make, yet still, New York put themselves in an extremely limited position by extending much of their roster, going all in with this current Jalen Brunson-led team.
Additionally, packaging Mitchell Robinson, Guerschon Yabusele, or a few of their other reserve players wouldn’t move the needle, as the Bucks would likely want someone at least of Bridges or Towns’ caliber, so if they do trade Antetokounmpo, they aren’t rebuilding with nothing.
The best likelihood for the Knicks landing the Greek star is him directly telling Milwaukee he wants to be sent to New York, but even in that world, the team blowing up all they’ve done to build this current roster would drastically change their future and title hopes, even if it means pairing Antetokounmpo with Brunson.
Knicks Trade Rumors
While it is fair to say Antetokounmpo still isn’t out of reach strictly because his future with the Bucks seems to be coming to an end, the Knicks appear to be focusing on making moves around the edges to fix up a team that has seen some major struggles since winning the 2025 NBA Cup title in mid-December.
While there were rumblings about a potential Towns trade, that now seems unlikely. While overall they are still very limited on the moves they can make, Yabusele remains the one name that looks to be on the way out before the February 5th trade deadline.
According to NBA insider Brett Siegel, New York has been in talks with the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans regarding a trade for the player who hasn’t performed as highly as the team would have thought when they signed him over the summer.
“In discussions with the Spurs, the Knicks have inquired about 2022 ninth overall pickJeremy Sochan,” Siegel wrote. “New Orleans has been taking calls every day fromcontending teams inquiring about Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones, yet league sources say New York’s focus is on two players: Jose Alvarado and Yves Missi.”
In any Yabusele trade, the Knicks would also likely include Pacome Dadiet. They’ve been linked to Alvarado as well as a few other similar players of his caliber, as a package around Yabusele wouldn’t get anywhere close to the offers the Pelicans have been hearing for Murphy or Jones.
As Siegel mentioned, New York also has one open roster spot, so regardless of if they make a trade or not, they will be a team to watch on the buyout market, as this current roster could very well use a new face to fix what have been some major struggles over the past few weeks.