Bucks, Knicks Discussed Blockbuster Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade This Offseason

The Milwaukee Bucks dealt with trade rumors surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo all summer long. In the end, they decided to keep their star player with the team.

Milwaukee outwardly projected confidence that Antetokounmpo was going to be with the franchise for the long haul. They never gave the public any indication that they were entertaining offers.

That seems not to have been the case. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Bucks did entertain an offer from the New York Knicks before ultimately deciding against it.

According to Charania, New York was the only place that Antetokounmpo thought about playing outside of Milwaukee. They even negotiated to see if a deal could possibly get done.

"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," Charania writes.

How Serious Was New York?

Charania notes that the Knicks never made a serious enough offer for discussions to get far, while the Knicks never felt that the Bucks truly made Antetokounmpo available.

Regardless of what the terms were, Antetokounmpo's future with the Bucks is clearly far less certain than Milwaukee has let on. The fact that Antetokounmpo let the Bucks take calls from the Knicks is massive news.

New York ended up not going full-out with an offer. They believe that they are title contenders this year, with both the Pacers and the Celtics likely out of the fray with their best players hurt.

The Bucks Are Under Even More Pressure to Win Big This Year Than Initially Thought

Having this report out there shows that Antetokounmpo is willing to be moved. He is sick of being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, something that has happened in each of the last three years.

That means that the Bucks are under even more pressure than initially thought to make a deep run in the playoffs this year. They have to show that this team can compete for a title. Otherwise, he might be gone next summer.

Last season, Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game.