The New York Knicks have been flying high lately. After they defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 121-116 on Tuesday, they had won seven games in a row and 23 of their last 30 contests, and while they’re still in third place in the Eastern Conference, they’re now in a virtual tie with the second-place Boston Celtics.
But while the Knicks have been seemingly proving that they have as good a chance as any other team in the East of reaching the NBA Finals, the rumors that they will pursue a certain disgruntled superstar this summer won’t go away. It is still widely believed that they will make a concerted attempt to pry Giannis Antetokounmpo away from the Milwaukee Bucks, even though they may not be able to put together the most compelling trade package.
The question is what it would take for New York to land Antetokounmpo, especially given its lack of tradable draft picks. One Eastern Conference executive floated an interesting solution, per Heavy Sports.
“They could do a deal that includes that (Myles) Turner contract,” one Eastern Conference exec said. “The Knicks need a big man anyway. If KAT (Karl-Anthony Towns) can be re-routed for a young guy and picks, that’s not bad for Milwaukee.”
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Could Antetokounmpo be the missing piece for New York?
If the Knicks still don’t have enough juice to go all the way, Antetokounmpo could be just the man to put them over the top.
Yes, he has been plagued by injuries this season, and yes, he’s 31 years of age. But he’s still averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists a game. While his overall production is down a bit, as is his playing time (he’s averaging just 28.9 minutes a game), he’s also shooting a career-high 62.4% from the field this season.
If the Knicks were to land Antetokounmpo, he would likely feel revitalized by relocating to New York and playing for a team that, unlike the Bucks, could win the NBA championship. He won it all in 2021, but since then, the Bucks’ roster has eroded like a coastline that is constantly bombarded by waves and a rising sea level.
A number of teams will undoubtedly participate in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes as soon as this season ends. For the team that lands him, it could take the help of a third team to make sure the math will math properly and supply Milwaukee with a return package it considers satisfactory.
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If the Knicks were to somehow acquire Antetokounmpo, especially if they don’t end up having to jettison either Mikal Bridges or OG Anunoby, they could enter next season as the odds-on favorite to win the East and possibly win the NBA championship. A duo of Antetokounmpo and Jalen Brunson could be as lethal as any in the league.
Could the price for Antetokounmpo get lower this summer?
One has to assume that any team that lands Antetokounmpo will have to give up a small treasure trove to Milwaukee. But per ESPN, one executive believes that the future Hall of Famer’s market value will be a bit lower than the offers Milwaukee got prior to the trade deadline.
“He’s still a game changer, but he’s 31 with a history of leg injuries,” a rival executive said. “And now you’d basically be trading for a guy on an expiring deal, so I’m not sure the offers they’ll get this summer are going to be better than what they already got.”
It still isn’t a given that Antetokounmpo will be wearing a different team’s uniform this October, which happens to be when the Bucks can offer him a contract extension. He can opt out of his current contract and become a free agent in 2027.
He hasn’t publicly requested a trade, although ESPN’s Shams Charania reported several weeks ago that he privately told the team that he “believes the moment has come to part ways after 12-plus years together.”
If he makes his way to the Knicks and brings them their first NBA title since 1973, he would become the toast of New York and likely the area’s most celebrated sports hero since Derek Jeter, the Hall of Fame shortstop who brought five World Series championships to the New York Yankees.
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