Knicks Reportedly Could've Made Giannis Trade Under 'Certain Set' of Circumstances

The New York Knicks had a serious shot to land Giannis Antetokounmpo if they wanted to move for the Milwaukee Bucks star, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

Windhorst reported Tuesday on First Take (via Awful Announcing) that "the Knicks were in position to get Giannis and they didn't get him." New York "could've had Giannis under a certain set of circumstances."

ESPN's Shams Charania reported earlier this month that New York was "the only place Antetokounmpo wanted to play outside of Milwaukee."

"The Bucks picked up the Knicks' call on Antetokounmpo, and the sides engaged in conversations for a window of time in August, league sources said, but the teams never got traction on a deal," the insider said at the time.

Because of his value to Milwaukee and a $54.1 million salary for 2025-26, acquiring Giannis in a straight-up trade is tricky for New York.

They're hard-capped, so the Knicks couldn't even do a one-for-one deal with Antetokounmpo and Karl-Anthony Towns since KAT is making marginally less ($53.1 million). The Bucks may not even want Towns that much, either, when Myles Turner was their big offseason signing.

If the conversation then shifts to New York sending out multiple players from the group of KAT, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, then you have to start asking whether the roster is becoming too top-heavy.

That's to say nothing of how we're still not totally sure what the current core can achieve together.

New York executed three huge trades in less than a year by adding Anunoby, Bridges and Towns, and the timing of KAT's arrival (Oct. 2, 2024) left him with little time to get settled before the regular season. Having more continuity could go a long way this year.

Should Antetokounmpo press the issue with the Bucks and request a trade, any team would be free to make a run at the two-time MVP. Maybe he warms to the idea of playing for a different contender than the Knicks. Imagine the reaction in the Big Apple if that were to happen.

Playing it safe this summer was the right call, though. Should New York once again fall flat in the playoffs, that's when the front office needs to seriously consider whether the quartet of Towns, Bridges, Anunoby and Jalen Brunson is good enough.