ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania has reported that Giannis Antetokounmpo has yet to decide on his future.
Given the current situation and the ongoing saga, undoubtedly the biggest storyline in the NBA this summer, the future of Giannis will surely reshape the Eastern Conference.
Why Knicks Are an Intriguing Trade Destination for Giannis
I proposed a trade to one of the league's most iconic markets: the New York Knicks.
Now, it's important to note that the Knicks aren't a team in trouble or in need of saving. In fact, they just had their best season since 1999, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
However, the firing of Tom Thibodeau did cast a shadow over their success, especially since it was clear the Knicks didn't have a successor lined up at the time.
After a long and dramatic process, they eventually settled on Mike Brown as the new head coach.
Tom
Tom
Credit Brad Penner-Imagn Images
But the question that led me to this trade proposal is simple: Can the Knicks actually take another step forward in the 2025–26 season and make the NBA Finals?
Can they realistically compete for a title?
No one can predict the future, but with proper analysis, we can at least form a strong idea of how likely that is.
Knicks' Current Strengths and Lingering Weaknesses
First, let's look at how the Knicks are currently built. This is a team with massive offensive potential.
Statistically, they finished the 2024–25 regular season with the 5th-best offense in the NBA, boasting a 118.5 offensive rating.
Defensively, they ranked 14th, with a defensive rating of 114.3. What stands out is that despite having a defense-first coach like Thibodeau at the helm for most of the season, the team leaned more heavily on offense.
Still, the Knicks do have strong individual defenders.
In their elite starting lineup—Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns—three of them (Bridges, OG, and Hart) are excellent on the defensive end.
The Defensive Dilemma: Brunson and Towns
Now comes the reality check for the Knicks and their championship aspirations.
As great as Brunson and KAT are, both elite offensive talents, with Brunson arguably the most dominant scoring guard in the league, they remain defensive liabilities.
In today's NBA, where mismatch-hunting is relentless, even one weak spot on defense can be exploited. Having two is a real concern, especially in the playoffs, where teams constantly target either Brunson or Towns.
This weakness was exposed throughout the postseason, as opposing offenses hunted them in isolation sets with ease.
This is one of the Knicks' biggest issues. Alongside that, there's also the matter of depth and the historically short rotation.
Addressing Depth with Key Offseason Additions
However, I believe that has been partially addressed with the offseason additions of Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson, two high-level bench players who should expand the rotation.
Still, the core problem remains: two of your most important players, at the point guard and center positions, struggle defensively, particularly in lateral movement.
That specific weakness makes both Brunson and KAT prime targets for perimeter isolation plays.
Given all of this, it's going to be incredibly difficult for the Knicks to win a title with the current roster.
That's why I'm proposing a trade that would completely change their outlook and elevate them into legitimate championship contention.
Trade Proposal That Sends Giannis Antetokounmpo to Knicks
Bucks receive:
OG Anunoby
Mitchell Robinson
Miles McBride
Three first-round picks (2026, 2030, 2032)
Knicks receive:
Giannis Antetokounmpo
What This Means for Milwaukee
Although this trade might seem odd at first, especially because it involves a player like Giannis, it's time for a reality check for Bucks fans.
The right path after a potential Giannis departure isn't to chase another superteam in return.
That's neither realistic nor the right approach. Milwaukee has too many roster flaws for any single trade to fix, even if it's a blockbuster.
In fact, if Giannis does leave, it will likely be because the Bucks simply don't have enough to compete for a title anymore.
As harsh as it may sound, rebuilding from scratch is often the smartest move in situations like this.
Many current contenders have taken this route after losing their franchise stars—just look at the Thunder after Westbrook or the Rockets after Harden.
It's a long process that requires patience from the fans.
In the specific trade I'm proposing, the Knicks would be giving up two excellent players in OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson, along with a promising young talent in Miles McBride, who has real upside and could develop into one of the best sixth men in the league.
Anunoby
Anunoby
Credit Sarah Stier/Getty Images North America/Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix
On top of that, Milwaukee would receive three first-round picks. The key here is that Anunoby and Robinson are valuable enough to be flipped later for even more assets, giving the Bucks flexibility and options during the rebuild.
Meanwhile, McBride is a player they can continue to develop with long-term ambitions in mind. As for the Knicks, there's no need to explain how impactful this trade could be.
How Giannis Could Elevate the Knicks
One of their biggest issues has been finding a starting five that can play elite basketball on both ends.
Tom Thibodeau constantly had to mix lineups because the star-studded group of Brunson, Bridges, Anunoby, Hart, and Towns still had two glaring defensive weak spots: Brunson and Towns. With Giannis, the possibilities are endless.
They could build lineups that switch everything, play ultra-fast in transition, or simply overpower teams with physicality.
The tactical flexibility would be immense. Towns and Giannis could form an extremely intriguing duo.
The Giannis–Towns Fit: A Frontcourt Built for Modern Offense
Let's not forget that some of Towns' best stretches came when he played alongside another big man.
Although Giannis is not a typical center, playing both power forward and center, he has a different profile from Josh Hart.
KAT doesn't need the ball in his hands to be effective, which makes him an ideal frontcourt partner for Giannis.
Their chemistry has the potential to be elite: Towns could fully capitalize on the spacing created by the defensive attention Giannis naturally draws, while Giannis would benefit from playing alongside possibly the greatest shooting big man in NBA history.
Their skill sets complement each other in a way that could elevate both players. And beyond all that, the potential Brunson–Giannis partnership could be fascinating.
Brunson
Brunson
Credit IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect - Scanpix
Both players want the ball in their hands and thrive with it, so a compromise would be necessary.
But unlike the Giannis–Lillard pairing in Milwaukee, New York would be surrounding their stars with a far more complete team.
That environment makes it much easier to build chemistry and find balance. Ultimately, that compromise between Giannis and Brunson could end up being the formula for real success.
Easing Brunson's Offensive Burden
Another important angle in evaluating the Brunson–Giannis fit is the physical and strategic toll Brunson has had to carry throughout games.
In 2024–25, he shouldered an enormous offensive burden, initiating almost every possession, handling the ball deep into the shot clock, and constantly facing double teams and traps.
While Brunson handled all of that with remarkable poise and individual success, the Knicks' offense sometimes suffered as a whole.
At times, the ball stuck too much, the rhythm disappeared, and the team became overly reliant on isolation plays.
The plus-minus numbers in those stretches didn't always favor the Knicks, despite Brunson's scoring outbursts.
Ironically, when Brunson missed games during the regular season, the offense often looked more fluid.
OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges both stepped up with higher usage rates, especially OG, who had a standout stretch with more touches and freedom to create.
That period showed how effective a more balanced attack could be.
Adding Giannis wouldn't mean taking the ball away from Brunson; it would mean reshaping the offense so that Brunson doesn't have to carry the full weight of every possession.
He would still be dominant on the ball, especially in the fourth quarter and during crunch-time situations, but not as constantly as before.
He was arguably the league's best closer last season, and giving him the right conditions to dominate late would elevate New York's ceiling dramatically.
Giannis
Giannis
Credit Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix
A New Offensive Identity for New York
Knicks could diversify their half-court offense with Giannis operating out of the high post, using his gravity to collapse defenses and create easier reads.
His isolations and bully-ball style, especially when matched up against smaller forwards, would give the Knicks a reliable way to generate offense without overextending Brunson.
It's not just about easing Brunson's load; it's about unlocking a new offensive identity built around complementary strengths and sustained pressure from multiple angles.
Vukašin Nedeljković
Vukašin played basketball competitively in his youth, and now contributes to Synergy Sports Technology and Sportradar regarding basketball analysis. He also has experience working as a journalist in Serbia and is passionate about writing basketball articles mainly focused on basketball X's and O's.
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