Jason Burgos
A new rumor suggests the Milwaukee Bucks are secretly hoping the New York Knicks don’t finish the story and win the NBA Finals this month so they can trade Giannis Antetokounmpo to Gotham.
On Wednesday night, the Knicks will look to get back into the win column and extend their series lead in the NBA Finals to 3-1. The team’s run to the championship round has created Knicks fever in the city because it’s the franchise’s best chance in decades at getting an NBA title for the first time since 1973.
However, the Bucks may be hoping New York’s season ends in heartbreak by blowing a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals.
“There is an increasing belief leaguewide that [the Bucks] would prefer to wait until after the NBA Finals before completing a deal to see if the Knicks end up squandering a 2-0 series lead,” NBA insider Jake Fischer reports. “Might the Knicks then decide to re-enter the Giannis Trade Sweepstakes in response to the disappointment of letting the title slip away?”
Why would the Bucks want NY Knicks to rejoin the Antetokounmpo trade chase?
After winning 13 straight playoff games and taking a 2-0 lead in the Finals, most around the league assumed that the Knicks — the favorites last year to trade for the two-time MVP — were out of the Antetokounmpo trade chase. Even if they lost in the championship series. However, a heartbreaking finish where they blew a series lead could certainly change plans.
The Bucks are expected to trade the future Hall of Famer in the next couple of weeks as they look to get more picks in this month’s NBA Draft. Which is on June 23.
It is a bit surprising that the Bucks would want to wait for the Knicks to rejoin the sweepstakes. Since their first pick this year is at 24. And several interested teams can offer selections far earlier in the draft. Perhaps Milwaukee is high on the idea of getting players like Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, or Mikal Bridges back in the deal. Or they know Antetokounmpo will threaten opting out of his contract after next season if he doesn’t go to New York.
Fischer added that sources suggest Miami and Boston are at the top of Antetokounmpo’s destination wish list if he doesn’t end up in New York this month.
