Highlights:

A report came out Tuesday that confirmed the Knicks had cursory talks with the Bucks on a deal that would center around star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The two sides have had mutual interest for many years, with Giannis loving New York and the prospect of bringing an NBA championship to MSG.
An NBA analyst outlined what a potential trade could look like, and Knicks fans might not like it.

Years of rampant speculation came to a head on Tuesday, with a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania stating the Knicks and Bucks engaged in early talks this summer on a trade that would send superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to New York.

While the Knicks have had their eye on the Greek Freak long before Jalen Brunson came to town, talks right now would be the most promising, with the Knicks in a competitive position and the Bucks willing to prioritize their future for the right package.

Giannis has praised Brunson, and said he loves visiting New York. The superstar has his eye on his legacy, and winning another chip, and the Knicks can promise a better environment to do so coming off an Eastern Conference Finals appearance. Giannis and the Bucks have not made it to that point since their 2021 title run.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo brings the ball up the court.© Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

In a recent article, the Athletic’s James L. Edwards III and Fred Katz outlined the terms that likely failed as the two sides explored a trade.

“You can have Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and a bunch of bad picks,” Katz and Edwards III humorously wrote as Knicks president Leon Rose’s likely offer. Bucks GM Jon Horst presumably hung up the phone in this framework.

With only a highly-protected 2026 first round pick – one that will likely turn into two second rounders – the Knicks could not offer the kinds of draft picks that Horst would have favored in a deal.

Much of that is due to the five first-round picks, and a first-round pick swap going to Brooklyn in the Mikal Bridges trade, which has the Knicks looking like a poker player who prematurely went all-in.

However, it doesn’t seem like the Bridges trade is a regretful one for Rose and the Knicks, who are looking to play a more up-tempo offense under Mike Brown. ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst said on his Hoop Collective podcast that Bridges appears to be the biggest beneficiary of this new change.

In the absence of picks, the Knicks could have conceivably offered their two frontcourt pieces. Another option may have been calling another team to help send Milwaukee the sort of draft capital that would sweeten the deal in exchange for Knicks veterans.

Rose could have easily found a Giannis deal to not be worth the effort. That hasn’t stopped rampant speculation of a Giannis trade from making the rounds, however.

“There has been an expectation for quite some time that Giannis’ days in Milwaukee one way or another are numbered. Whether that was gonna happen this year, whether it’s gonna happen potentially during this season, or whether it could happen next summer.” Windhorst said.

If a trade happens, the Knicks certainly look like a suitable destination, so long as they can find a work-around for their lack of draft capital. However, it would most certainly take more than KAT, OG and some second rounders to force Milwaukee into rebuild mode.