Will Giannis Get Traded to the Knicks?

Trade rumors around the NBA are heating up, with some sources suggesting Giannis Antetokounmpo could be traded to the Knicks. Giannis has expressed his desire for a second championship, and the Milwaukee Bucks have been trending downwards this season. There were discussions this past summer between the Knicks and Giannis, but neither side could come up with a deal. With limited draft capital, the Knicks will have to offer more than just Karl-Anthony Towns. However, the Bucks are beholden to Giannis by virtue of their 2021 championship run. If Giannis picks a team, the Bucks front office may give them the first swing at an offer.

Will Giannis Get Traded to the Knicks?

The Knicks Already Made Two Big Trades and Have Dwindling Draft Capital

With the trades to acquire Towns and Mikal Bridges, the Knicks find themselves with limited draft picks to offer. Towns and Antetokounmpo have similar contracts, which serve to soften salary cap considerations. While the Knicks can, and probably should, offer every draft pick eligible to be moved, they will likely need to add a key contributor like OG Anunoby. Given Bridges’ ineligibility to be traded until January due to his extension, the only other enticing pieces seem to be Miles McBride or Josh Hart.

The Potential Downside of Bringing Giannis to New York

The Knicks lack a strong presence at center, even with Towns. After 21 games this season, Ariel Hukporti, Mitchell Robinson, and Guerschon Yabusele combine to average the minutes played by Towns. With Towns dealt, it becomes a toss-up between these three big men and the impact they could provide alongside Giannis. A way around this would be to somehow include big man Jericho Sims in the trade, but this would only increase the volatility at the center position.

A case can be made that the Knicks are just fine without needing to blow up their roster. They made the moves for Towns and Bridges, and have installed new head coach Mike Brown. As a team coming into their own and building chemistry, breaking it up now could send them trending in the opposite direction. Fan favorites McBride and Hart being shipped would certainly be detrimental to team chemistry, something only rectified by having Giannis enter the lineup.

The Giannis Sweepstakes

Multiple teams can make enticing offers for Giannis, but the big market Knicks seem to have caught his eye. Without Giannis tipping the scales in the Knicks’ favor, other teams in the league will make their case for the superstar. Just about any team in the NBA would become a contender with Giannis added to their roster, but some teams have been mentioned more than others.

The big market Los Angeles Lakers could ship Austin Reaves and whatever picks they can throw in. The San Antonio Spurs can move the reigning Rookie of the Year, Stephon Castle, and draft picks. The Atlanta Hawks might offer up Trae Young. When a superstar like Giannis enters the market, truly anything is on the table.

One scary scenario is the Oklahoma City Thunder making an offer. They have a substantial amount of first-round draft picks as well as a deep roster full of young talent. Not only are the Thunder the strongest team in the league coming off a championship, but they also hold ten first-round draft picks in 2026 and 2027. While the Thunder are technically a smaller market team, there are already talks about a dynasty forming should they find themselves in the finals again this year.

The Trade Deadline Approaches

The NBA trade deadline is February 5th, 2026. Expect many different trade pitches and theories throughout the media landscape until the deadline passes or a deal is made. With the Knicks still attempting to build on their own, Giannis may prove to be more trouble than he is worth. A pick-and-roll featuring Jalen Brunson and Giannis would be nigh-unstoppable. Would this be enough to outweigh the depth issues at center and on the bench? Knicks fans will have to wait and see.