Three Knicks Players at Risk in Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade

While he has not publicly confirmed a destination he would prefer to go to if he were traded, it has been reported that the New York Knicks would be his preferred destination. 

An article from The Athletic displays which players the Knicks would be willing to potentially give up in a trade for the nine-time All-NBA selection. “Team sources have made it clear that Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson was, as expected, untouchable in these talks. In terms of possible players being involved, the common sense lens turns toward [Karl-Anthony] Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson from there."

Trading for a generational talent in Antetokounmpo may seem like a no-brainer. However, his fit with the talent a team already has is extremely important. This is evident by the lack of Milwaukee’s success over the past four years, despite Antetokounmpo finishing top four in the MVP race each year (via Basketball Reference). 

Why Wouldn’t the Knicks Trade for Antetokounmpo?

The two reigning teams in the NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, were as successful as they were due to their incredible depth. Yes, both teams had a superstar in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton. However, their ability to rotate players in from the bench and have constant contributors both offensively and defensively made the difference in getting to the Finals past teams with superior players. 

If New York were able to acquire the former DPOY, it would need to give up multiple starters and the leftover draft capital it has after the Towns and Mikal Bridges trades, respectively. This method has worked for teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, trading for Anthony Davis and winning a championship in 2020. However, it also hasn’t worked for others, like the Los Angeles Clippers trading for Paul George and never reaching the Finals in his tenure. 

Antetokounmpo has voiced his frustration in losing constantly, but has never blamed the franchise publicly. This could be seen after starting last year’s regular season 2-7, when the two-time MVP was disgusted with the team’s lack of effort and willingness to compete (via The Athletic). He reiterated his passion for winning at this year’s Media Day, expressing his desire to play for a team that is in pursuit of a championship (via Sports Illustrated).