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Mar 28, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) complains about a call to the referee in the second half against the New York Knicks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Major Hypothetical Trade Could Hang Over Knicks' Season

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Oct 17, 2025 1:01 PM ET

The roster that the New York Knicks are expected to roll out for next week's regular season opener suggests that they played it safe this summer, focusing their time on adding depth to supplement the proven core they've already established, but that isn't an entirely fair assessment of their summer approach.

They went for the big, franchise-flipping trade that the Knicks of old would have similarly jumped on, but the team's come a long way from their erratic past. They're seen as a desirable destination for the first time all century, with reports recently emerging that they were the only team who really piqued Giannis Antetokounmpo's interest when he's considered leaving his Milwaukee Bucks.

Even with the season sitting just days away and both sides sitting far apart, the rumor residue will continue looming large over the Knicks.

"Off the floor, the Antetokounmpo situation will hang over the team all season following the revelation that the Knicks and Bucks discussed a potential trade of the power forward this offseason," ESPN's Vince Goodwill wrote in recapping the contenders' preseason takeaways. "Several key players will be on notice and have an eye on what's going on with Milwaukee to track Antetokounmpo's frame of mind."

His brewing unhappiness has started and ended with his frustration with the underwhelming supporting cast that he's forced to carry year after year, with each wasted season putting more and more time between 2021, when he finally tasted NBA championship glory for the first and only time, and the potential end of his prime.

Milwaukee Bucks Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Antetokounmpo is rapidly approaching his 31st birthday, and he's grown tired after three consecutive first-round-and-out playoff appearances.

The Bucks spent their free agency capital by bringing back all of their favorite role players without nabbing any kind of star, but did sign two of the 2x MVP's brothers as a token of their willingness to keep him happy.

The Knicks kept the door open for a potential trade demand for the majority of the summer, but a lack of movement eventually convinced New York to move on and continue building without him. They finally extended Mikal Bridges, a soon-to-be expiring asset whom the Knicks could have dangled in an exchange, and continued filling out the edges of their roster in preparing for the preseason.

They, now armed with even more bench help in the form of Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson, are expected to return right back to Eastern Conference contention, while the Bucks are seen as more of a wild card. Whether or not they, too, can take advantage of the unimpressive conference around them will be up to whether his supporting cast can answer the collective call, as those with a chance at thieving him away from Milwaukee will be expected to continue monitoring the situation.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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