The Milwaukee Bucks might be open to doing something brash ahead of the NBA trade deadline—which is fantastic news for the New York Knicks’ pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Anything that keeps him on the Bucks through this season, in fact, increases the odds he ends up donning orange and blue.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, “league sources confirmed that Milwaukee has done recent due diligence,” as well as shown past interest, in landing Zach LaVine. While “due diligence” remains a long way from any deal being imminent, investigating the availability of a 30-year-old guard making $47.5 million is not the modus operandi of a team getting ready to ship out its two-time MVP.
It is the act of a franchise that’s seemingly trying like heck to make its current situation work—and aiding New York’s own superstar hopes in the process.
The Knicks are better positioned to land Giannis over the summer
If the Bucks wind up dealing for LaVine or any other win-now type, it suggests that Antetokounmpo will remain in town until at least the offseason. That just so happens to be when the Knicks can do more to acquire him.
For starters, New York will have actual first-round picks available to trade. Right now, it can include exactly zero in any package. This number climbs to two over the offseason: its 2026 selection, and 2033 first.
To be sure, the Knicks won’t have anywhere near the best possible offer for Giannis at that time. That matters. It is far from everything.
Giannis’ own leverage matters just as much. The Bucks are not obligated to ship him off to New York just because it’s where he wants to be. But fewer teams not on his wish list will roll the dice on his services this summer, when he’s just one year out from free agency (2027-28 player option).
Frankly, as a top-five player with the end of his contract in sight, Giannis has plenty of leverage at this very moment. His power to dictate where he goes next, though, only strengthens if he’s moved one offseason before hitting the open market.
This is a waiting game for New York
Do not confuse this as ironclad proof that the Knicks are suddenly favorites to land Giannis. If this becomes a midseason bidding war, they are ill-equipped to rival most other prospective suitors, even if some of their trade assets have become underrated.
New York should instead be rooting for the Giannis saga to drag out with the hope of increasing its chance at success. The longer he’s in Milwaukee, the more leverage he has over where he goes next. And the more leverage he has, the more likely the Knicks are to swoop in, and get him.
It might still be a long shot. Strike that. It’s definitely a pipe dream. But it’s a fantasy that becomes far more attainable if the Bucks take a short-term approach at the deadline, and double-down in a way that guarantees they keep Giannis for the rest of this season.