The New York Knicks have a 2-0 series lead and a clear path to their first NBA title since 1973. But if this Finals slips away, NBA insider Chris Haynes thinks they will jump straight into the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.
“If the New York Knicks were to falter to the San Antonio Spurs, you know, they might be in play for Giannis. I don’t think that’d be the case if they do win the championship,” Haynes said on the “Numbers On The Board” podcast.
That logic tracks. A Knicks team that finishes as runner-up has every excuse to swing big and try to push the roster over the top. A Knicks team that wins the title has no reason to blow it up just to add another star.
Giannis still has a year left on his current contract before a $62.78 million player option for 2027-28. Until he picks up that option or signs a new deal in Milwaukee, the trade speculation is not going anywhere. The Bucks have been gathering trade packages from interested teams for months, and the Heat were reportedly the most aggressive suitor.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Giannis has concerns that Miami does not have the depth to actually contend even after putting together a star-level trade package for him. That is the kind of cold water that opens the door for a team like New York.
Here is the problem. The Knicks have already moved a lot of their best young assets to build this team. Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns all came in via trade. Their first-round pick capital is limited, and Milwaukee is going to demand a haul.
You would be looking at a package that includes Towns, multiple firsts, and likely Mitchell Robinson or Josh Hart. The Knicks would have to gut depth they just used to win 60 games to bring in a player who has not been past the second round since 2021.
The fit question is also real. Giannis and Jalen Brunson would have to figure out spacing in the halfcourt. Brunson is a ball-dominant guard who needs the lane to operate. Giannis needs the lane to operate. Pair those two with no Towns to stretch the floor and you have a problem.
The smarter move for New York might be to run it back. The Knicks are young enough, healthy enough, and finally peaking. Forcing a Giannis trade just because the name is available is how teams ruin good things.
That said, this is the NBA. Star players move, and front offices that get scared of paying the price end up watching rivals make the deal instead. If Giannis is actually available this summer, Leon Rose is going to make a phone call.
The bigger story is what this says about the Bucks. Milwaukee has tried and failed to surround Giannis with another star since the 2021 title. Damian Lillard did not work. Khris Middleton’s injuries derailed the championship window. The Bucks have to decide whether to do this rebuild now or wait another year and lose leverage.
For Knicks fans, the conversation is wildly premature. They are two wins from a title. Focus on closing the series. The Giannis question can wait until July.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
