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The New York Knicks still have a chance at a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, but it would require rumors on a new team in the mix to be true.
The New York Knicks havebeen connected to a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade longer than any other team in the NBA, and the latest report indicates they could be inching closer to making the blockbuster move.
There have beena number of rumorson both the Milwaukee Bucks’ willingness to trade their star, as well as the player himself being willingenough to ask to be traded. However, with his recent injury, as well as Marc Spears and Shams Charania of ESPNsaying they believe Antetokounmpo’s relationship with the team is finally starting to crumble,the speculationon a potential trade has only grown in the past few days.
In a straight-up trade with Milwaukee, the Knicks remain relatively limited. However, based on new reporting from Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report and The Stein Line, one team, way out West, could change all of that.There are a fewdots toconnect in this trade idea, so follow along.
Knicks Giannis Trade Hopes Aren’t Done Yet
Based on Fischer’s reporting, the Portland Trail Blazers have interest in Mikal Bridges, who New York traded for last summer, sending a haul of draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets. He’s been solid, but his massive contract has put some limitations on the Knicks, and if moving him means adding Antetokounmpo, it’s hard to see even owner James Dolan shooting down that idea.
Based on the Blazers’ interest in Bridges, Sam Quinn of CBS Sports believes that could be the catalyst for the Knicks to pounce on the Greek star,still currently in Milwaukee,but now out with an injury for an uncertain amount of time.
If Portland were totake Bridges, the team that also potentially holds a few of the Bucks’ picks over the next few years after taking back Damian Lillard’s contract this summer, they could send backa few of those picks as the main facilitators in a deal between Milwaukee and New York.
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:
“That creates a straightforward three-team alignment: New York gets Antetokounmpo, Portland gets Bridges, Milwaukee gets a bunch of other stuff from the Knicks or a possible fourth team along with some of its own picks back from Portland,” Quinn wrote.
“This makes the Trail Blazers a key potential facilitator in any possible Antetokounmpo trade. Any team interested in trading for him should be in touch with Portland about potentially getting the Bucks some of those picks back.”
If the Blazers aretruly interested in Bridges, they have the upper hand on Milwaukee, as the team’s draft picks are much more valuable in their hands. The Bucks likely wouldn’t send Antetokounmpo to Portland if he doesn’t want to go there, but for them, at least adding Bridges would speed up the timeline on their push back to playoff contention. New York would give up a lot, but if it means adding a two-time MVP next to Jalen Brunson, as mentioned, even Dolan wouldn’t want to miss out on that.
In short, the Knicksmight have toget rid of Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, as well as a few other assets. However, Portland is their fast-pass ticket to Antetokounmpo, so if they want to make that happen, they need to talk to them sometime before the February 5th NBA trade deadline.
Blockbuster Trade Sees Giannis Antetokounmpo Go To The Knicks
This is the trade idea he laid out,willing all the contracts match up and the Blazers are on board toget Bridges, the Bucks want their valuable picks back, and the Knicks are serious about adding Antetokounmpo.
Sam Quinn
If the Blazers are interested in Mikal Bridges as Jake Fischer suggested, we might have a workable Giannis/Knicks outline here.
I imagine Portland wouldn’t want to give up Bucks pick control in all three years, but maybe something like this:
New York Knicks Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jerami Grant
Bucks Receive: Karl-Anthony Towns, Miles McBride, Pacôme Dadiet, a 2026 first-round pick from New York (via Washington), a 2028 first-round pick from Portland (via Orlando), return of swap rights from Portland on 2028 and 2030 first-round picks, and first-round pick swaps from New York in 2030 and 2032
**Trail Blazers Receive:**Mikal Bridges and Guerschon Yabusele
Though there is so much moving around, as this would likely be the most money in contracts ever traded in NBA history, each team stands to benefit.
Portlandgets a top-tier wing player and Yabusele, while only giving up a few picks and Grant to match themoney.
Milwaukee would finally end this long saga with their star, but send him to what was his preferred destination. They get back an All-Star in Towns, along with McBride, Dadiet, and a ton of picks to help strengthen a rebuild.
Finally, New York gets the grand prize in Antetokounmpo. They’d lose Towns, Bridges, and a few others, but they’ve struggled recently, and the idea of pairing the 2021 Finals MVP with Brunson is impossible to ignore, even if it means a massive roster overhaul.
Though just an idea, if itever happened, this would likely be the biggest trade in NBA history. Getting even two NBA teams to agree on trade terms is difficult, butin this idea,it all hinges on the Trail Blazers.