A new report from a prominent NBA insider explains why the New York Knicks making a blockbuster trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t realistic at this moment.
The possibility of the Milwaukee Bucks legend being traded was already the biggest off-court story in the NBA. However, when it was revealed on Wednesday that Antetokounmpo informed the team he is ready for a divorce, it became the top storyline in all North American sports.
Speculation about a trade has been talked about heavily since the summer, and the NY Knicks have long been viewed as the favorites to get a deal done. First, because the two-time NBA MVP allegedly loves Gotham and would like to play there, and the two teams also had initial conversations about a deal in the offseason.
However, during a recent SportsCenter appearance, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst explained why a trade doesn’t really seem that realistic. According to the NBA insider, the Bucks will try to mimic what the Oklahoma City Thunder did when they traded Paul George in 2019.
In that blockbuster deal, OKC landed a boatload of future draft picks and high-potential young talent. One of those players they received was the current face of their franchise, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Furthermore, Windhorst explained that it doesn’t make sense for the Bucks to get players that will help them win now. With the 2026 NBA Draft deep with talent, they need to tank to get their pick and more for June.
Which means a NY Knicks trade that includes sending a player like Karl-Anthony Towns to Milwaukee really is not in the franchise’s best interest in the short and long-term.
Warriors a sleeper team in the Giannis trade sweepstakes?
Along with his thoughts about what the Bucks will look for in a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, he mentioned certain teams that will be able to make a trade with Milwaukee that won’t require the inclusion of other clubs. The franchise at the top of that list for Windhorst was the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors have the contracts to make the money part of a deal work, intriguing young players, and most importantly, a lot of draft picks. The NBA insider noted that they have all of their future firsts, so they can throw four of them at the Bucks in an offer.
On Thursday, fellow ESPN NBA reporter Anthony Slater added to the idea when he claimed that Golden State might be willing to give Milwaukee every other first-round pick through 2032. An NBA team is not allowed to give up first-round picks in consecutive years.
