The NBA offseason was set ablaze when reports indicated that, if Giannis Antetokounmpo were to request for a trade, his preferred destination would be the New York Knicks. NBA Insider Shams Charania broke the initial story, and the aftermath has since spearheaded a barrage of analysis and insider knowledge from sources around the NBA.
News of the rumor continue to linger, but now that masses have some separation from the original break in the story, what can we make of the Giannis to Knicks trade rumor?
What to Make of the Giannis to Knicks Trade Rumor
Will the Bucks Even Consider it?
The Bucks are undeniably stuck between a rock and hard place when it comes to life post-Giannis. First, Milwaukee incredulously waive-and-stretched Damian Lillard‘s contract for $22.5 million over the course of 5-years, which will ultimately limit their roster managing flexibility. Moreover, the next five years of the Bucks’ first round picks are all outgoing in some capacity. Even if the Bucks decided to bottom out and rebuild in the aftermath of a Giannis departure, they would not be the inherent owner to their own lottery picks.
In a scramble to appease Giannis, the Bucks recently signed his younger brother, Alex Antetokounmpo. The Bucks also re-signed Thanasis Antetokounmpo at the end of August. As a result, the beginning of the season will mark the first time in NBA history that three brothers suit up for the same team. The gesture to sign Alex was transparent in nature, embodying the Bucks’ state of desperation.
The future, even with Giannis, is bleak at best for the Bucks. With the cap limitations through Dame’s waive-and-stretch contract and the absent draft capital, the opportunities for Giannis to contend for an NBA Championship are only going to get slimmer. In spite of the Antetokounmpo homecoming, the hyper-competitive juggernaut that is Giannis Antetokounmpo is not one to sit idly by.
Should the Knicks Go All-in?
Whereas the Bucks’ are in a dire catch-22 scenario, the Knicks are positioned in what Marlo Stanfield from “The Wire” calls a “good problem.” Entering the season, the Knicks have managed to bolster one of the most well-rounded rosters in the NBA. Jalen Brunson is a dark-horse MVP candidate, Karl-Anthony Towns is the self-proclaimed greatest shooting big-man of all-time (with the stats to support his claim), and the bench has been reupholstered to provide significant contributions. Do the Knicks really need to go all-in for Giannis?
Short answer: no. But long answer: yes. Before the Giannis-Knicks trade rumors, Knicks fans were ecstatic about the prospect of the current team as constructed. However, with a player of Giannis’ herculean stature and his consistent array of mind-boggling statistics, it would be irresponsible to not consider making the final push to thrust the Knicks into undeniable championship pedigree.
In turn, the Knicks are presented a challenging dilemma. They are currently in a well-sought-after intersection of continuity and innovation. With the return of the core line-up, the quintet of Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Towns garner an opportunity to continue growing as a cohesive unit. Likewise, Mike Brown adds a fresh offensive philosophy, with a healthy Mitchell Robinson poised to assume the starting position and the team boasting plenty of depth. That said, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s accolades speak for themselves, and the Knicks would be remiss to squander the opportunity of acquiring him.
However, the most difficult aspect of the trade conversation is not if the Knicks should go all-in for Giannis, but how?
Difficult Trade Paths
In the moment, the acquisitions of Towns and Bridges seemed like pivotal building blocks for the Knicks. However, critics of the trades quickly pointed to the multitude of draft picks sent out. Through mortgaging their own draft pick capital, the Knicks became constricted from any future transactions. No one could have predicted that a year later, the idea of acquiring Giannis would be hanging in the balance.
At a quick glance, the idea to move KAT for Giannis seems to be the start of a strong trade framework. Zach Lowe proposed a mock trade by adding OG Anunoby to the deal and the Bucks sending Kyle Kuzma in the package. Lowe continued by adding an amendment to the deal, swapping Bridges for Anunoby. However, a trade with Bridges would only be possible after February 1st because of Bridges’ extension this offseason.
The deal works on paper. Yet, the caveat is KAT provides the apex version of what Giannis desires in a center. With KAT’s ability to stretch the floor, Giannis has the runway to attack the rim and distribute to surrounding outside shooters. Moreover, Mitchell Robinson, for all his amazing interior defense and offensive rebounding, is more limited in shooting than Giannis. The pairing of Robinson and Giannis would further clog the lanes. Likewise, with the outset of either Bridges or Anunoby, the Knicks’ overall shooting would regress greatly.
Other Options
One proposal that works in theory is swapping Giannis for OG and Josh Hart. However, for as many intangibles Hart brings to the game, his overall value is not the same as KAT’s. Moreover, the issue of the Bucks’ draft picks stymies a deal where the Bucks cannot compete in the present. As great as OG and Hart are in their roles, such a return would not be enough for the Bucks’ current team to compete.
The elephant in the room is whether the Knicks would pay the king’s ransom and part with Jalen Brunson. It is inconceivable to process the reaction of Knicks fandom in the event that they offloaded Brunson. However, would it be received at least as bittersweet? In considering the player in return is arguably one of the 25 greatest players of all time? The Knicks could propose Brunson with either Hart or Bridges (after February 1st). The combined contracts line up exceptionally well with Giannis’. That said, the likelihood is at or near zero, with recent reports that Brunson is off the table and Giannis expressing a desire to play with Brunson.
All that said, the trade framework is complex and adds ripples to the carefully constructed ecosystem of the team. The answer is yes; the Knicks should do whatever it takes to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo. The proposed trade framework is where it gets a bit murkier.
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