Knicks Too ‘Invested’ in Roster for Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade

On one hand, this Knicks team has been through a lot together in the the past year-plus, and the core group has already undergone one major overhaul when it welcomed in forward Karl-Anthony Towns after last year’s blockbuster trade from Minnesota. Developing that camaraderie and feel for each other on the floor is invaluable, especially after last year’s intense and ultimately disappointing playoff chase.

On the other hand … Giannis Antetokounmpo is potentially on the trade market, and don’t you have to trade away body parts and/or family members if it means a chance to trade for the Greek Freak?

No matter how you slice it, much still would need to happen before Giannis-to-the-Knicks trade talks get underway. Firstly, the Bucks would have to put him on the market, which they’ve clearly not done. In fact they’re trying to add pieces to make themselves a better team and keep Giannis in place. That can change, but with six weeks to go until the trade deadline, time could begin to wear away.

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Knicks Might Not Need Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade

For the Knicks, if the Bucks did decide to make Giannis available, there’s no certainty New York would be in on finding a deal, despite the fact that Antetokounmpo wants to play at MSG. The Knicks like the mix of players they have as it is and feel they’ve learned enough from recent playoff failures to be at their best this time around.

For the Bucks, creating a market for Antetokounmpo won’t necessarily be easy, and the axiom in front-office circles is that it is always easier to trade a player in the offseason than it is at the deadline.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo Shooting 64.1%

Antetokounmpo can still bring it, of course. He is averaging 28.9 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists, shooting a career-high 64.1% from the field. But he has struggled with a calf injury and played only 18 games this season–he returned Saturday night with 29 points in a controversial win over the Bulls.

(Antetokounmpo ended the game with a showboat windmill dunk as the clock ran out, drawing the ire of the Bulls.)

At The Athletic, veteran insider Sam Amick notes that the Knicks are quite happy to keep their current mix and are no guarantee to be an Antetokounmpo suitor.

Amick highlighted the notion that other top contenders in the West, like the Thunder, Spurs and Rockets, don’t want to upset their apple carts with a Giannis deal. Many potential suitors have flaws. And New York, well …

“Then there’s the one team that Antetokounmpo showed a desire to play for last summer — the New York Knicks. Until further notice, the recently-crowned NBA Cup champions are fully invested in their current crop of title-contending talent,” Amick wrote.

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Knicks Would Need to Dump KAT

Essentially, for a Giannis trade to work, the Knicks would need to give up Karl-Anthony Towns and some combination of other draft assets–a first-round pick, some pick swaps–and players. There could be a third team involved to grease the wheels (there almost would have to be), but the bulk of the deal would be swapping out KAT and putting in Antetokounmpo.

No doubt the Knicks are invested in KAT. But his history of inconsistency and coming up short in the playoffs is worrisome. Will the Knicks be as invested in him if the Bucks to offer up Giannis?

 

Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney