New York Knicks ‘Very Unlikely’ to Trade for Star

The New York Knicks shocked the NBA world at the beginning of the offseason by making a trade with the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges. Then, just a couple of months later, they struck again, acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Knicks have proven they are not afraid of making major changes to their roster to compete for a title. This was evident this past offseason. However, amidst the latest rumors, it seems that the Knicks will likely sit out the newest potential blockbuster deal.

Recently, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has appeared in trade rumors. A trade is reportedly unlikely to happen soon, but it is a legitimate possibility for the future. So far, the two-time MVP has been linked to teams like the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and the Nets. While the Knicks may have interest in him as well, a trade to acquire Antetokounmpo is reportedly “very unlikely.”

“The insurmountable obstacle now for the Knicks is they already unloaded the most valuable assets, minus Jalen Brunson, to acquire Towns, OG Anunoby and especially Mikal Bridges. As a result, a source declared the Knicks’ chances of dealing for Antetokounmpo as “very unlikely.” Their offer would get blown away by the competition.”

New York Knicks ‘Very Unlikely’ to Trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Knicks Will Contend Even Without Giannis Antetokounmpo

Antetokounmpo remains a top player in the NBA and has yet to turn 30. Every year since the 2016-17 season, he finished in the top 10 of MVP voting. He is a future Hall of Famer who still has many years of his prime left. If the Knicks can acquire him, it should solidify them even more as legitimate title contenders. However, if not, the Knicks are still a top team in the league and will be for a while.

They have a very intriguing lineup of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Bridges, and Towns. For the most part, the Knicks are a threat on both sides of the court. Additionally, they have the benefit of playing in a less competitive conference as well. Only the Boston Celtics (and seemingly the Cleveland Cavaliers) pose as threats to the Knicks in the East so far.

The Knicks’ 2024-25 campaign has not started as hot as they wanted. They are 3-4 through seven games and are currently on a two-game losing streak. While their offense has been good so far, the Knicks are leaving a lot to be desired on defense. Regardless, the season is still young, and they should figure it out sooner rather than later. Plus, when they get players like Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa back from injury, the Knicks will have the opportunity to prove how dominant they can be.

The Last Word

Even given all the rumors, a trade involving Antetokounmpo does not appear to be on the horizon. The Bucks have begun the new campaign about as poorly as they possibly could have. They are now 2-6 with their only wins being against the Philadelphia 76ers without Paul George and Joel Embiid and the Utah Jazz. Still, as is the case for New York, the Bucks have plenty of time to flip the script. However, if things do not get better for the team, maybe moving on from Antetokounmpo soon is more realistic than it seems.