While not an absolute deadline, Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam has expressed a strong preference for resolving Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future before the NBA Draft. This strategy is logical, given that many prospective teams vying for Antetokounmpo boast high picks in the upcoming draft on June 23-24. The Bucks would likely prefer to utilize those selections themselves rather than trading for players picked by other teams. With 27 of their 29 potential trade partners already out of the postseason, Milwaukee finds itself with a wide field of negotiation options.
However, the New York Knicks, often speculated as a top contender for Antetokounmpo since last offseason, are not among those 27 teams. Initial reports indicated that Antetokounmpo had favored New York as a destination. Although trade discussions did not advance significantly, they did occur to some extent. The Knicks’ impressive 13-game playoff winning streak, which includes a lead in the NBA Finals against the Spurs, has largely quashed these rumors.
Despite this, insiders Jake Fischer and Marc Stein report that the Bucks might not have given up entirely. They noted that “there is a growing belief within the league that Milwaukee prefers to hold off on sealing any deal until after the NBA Finals, to see if the Knicks falter after their 2-0 series lead.” The rationale seems to be that a heartbreaking Finals loss might prompt the Knicks to revisit trade talks. What their response would be in such a scenario remains uncertain.
Why a Knicks-Giannis trade seems unlikely
Even if the Knicks stumble in the Finals, they will have come tantalizingly close to winning it all, just two victories away. Their lineup has exceeded expectations set by owner James Dolan, showcasing excellent synergy throughout their playoff journey. Although Antetokounmpo could be seen as superior to any individual player on New York’s roster, integrating him poses challenges due to potential disruptions to the team’s core dynamics and the steep cost in key players. Trading for him could effectively dismantle the current Knicks squad. Without a significant downturn, it’s tough to envision New York pursuing such a trade.
Nevertheless, the idea is intriguing against the backdrop of Milwaukee’s efforts to secure equitable value for Antetokounmpo. Any potential trade with the Knicks would likely involve Karl-Anthony Towns. This is particularly interesting given that just months ago, The Athletic suggested Towns’ trade value had plummeted due to his supermax contract, slipping offensive stats, and inconsistent defense. However, Towns has since delivered a standout postseason performance and successfully held his ground against Victor Wembanyama in the NBA Finals. This raises the question: Has Towns significantly boosted his trade appeal? Would the Bucks prefer to retain him or trade him elsewhere amid the league’s urgency to assemble a team capable of challenging Wembanyama? While Antetokounmpo is undoubtedly the superior talent, Towns’ shooting prowess and enhanced defense might make him a more adaptable asset for many teams.
But now, Towns is coming off of a historic postseason, and perhaps more importantly, he has held his own against Victor Wembanyama in the NBA Finals. Does this suggest that Towns has meaningfully increased his trade value? Would the Bucks want to keep him themselves or flip him elsewhere as teams panic about building a team capable of competing with Wembanyama moving forward? Antetokounmpo is a better player than Towns, but Towns is theoretically easier to fit on many rosters because of his shooting and improved defense.
State of the Giannis bidding war
The Bucks wouldn’t wait for the Knicks unless there was something they wanted from them, specifically, at least more than what they could get from other suitors. The reporting thus far has suggested that the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers are the two teams pursuing Antetokounmpo most seriously. Could New York — with minimal draft capital or youth to offer — really put a better offer on the table than either of them, even if it wanted to? Is Milwaukee trying to drum up a bidding war where one doesn’t currently exist?
Remember, the Bucks were able to acquire Damian Lillard in 2023 in part because Miami was seemingly hesitant to put its best package on the table. Maybe Milwaukee needs to get another suitor into the mix who appeals enough to Antetokounmpo to scare the Heat into offering more.
The dynamics of any trade this complicated aren’t fully possible to understand in the moment, and for all we know, there are mystery teams in the running that may either be trying to trade for Antetokounmpo or that Antetokounmpo is trying to force his way onto. Nonetheless, the concept of waiting for the Knicks certainly throws a wrench into that preferred timeline for the Bucks.
The NBA Draft begins on June 23. If the Knicks lose the Finals, their defeat will come in no fewer than six games, and Game 6 of the Finals is on June 16. If there is a Game 7, it would come on June 19, giving the Bucks only three full days before the draft to negotiate with the Knicks if they do indeed reenter the picture. Doing so given how close they’ve gotten to the title seems unlikely, and the Bucks may just be dotting i’s and crossing t’s here. Why trade the best player in franchise history without fully understanding his market?
For now, the Knicks remain focused on winning the championship. All offseason business will have to wait until after the series ends, no matter how inconvenient that might be for the Bucks.
