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The Eastern Conference is already viewed as much weaker and more talent-depleted than the Western Conference. It could look a whole lot different after the upcoming offseason, too. The Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo has already signaled that he is open to being traded. While it wasn't a formal trade request, his days in Milwaukee are likely numbered, especially because Damian Lillard tore his achilles tendon. Karl-Anthony Towns is another superstar who could be moved.
The New York Knicks traded for the center last offseason. While it is unlikely that he'd be moved again just one year later, especially because the Knicks played in the Eastern Conference Finals, some believe that he could be traded this offseason. Kevin O'Connor is one expert who has advocated for Towns to be traded again. Blockbuster deals are commonplace in the modern NBA, so perhaps Antetokounmpo could be traded for Towns.
Giannis Antetokounmpo for Karl-Anthony Towns trade proposal
Knicks receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Bucks receive: Karl-Anthony Towns, Ariel Hukporti
Antetokounmpo is not only one of the best players in the NBA, but the two-time MVP is arguably the best player in Bucks history. The Bucks will be hesitant to trade him for that reason, but a franchise reset may be necessary. Most have predicted that Antetokounmpo would be traded to the Houston Rockets or San Antonio Spurs.
These are up-and-coming teams that are ready to take the next step forward, and they have tons of tradable assets, most notably in the form of an excess amount of draft capital. While a surplus of draft picks and young players could entice the Bucks, that kind of trade would lead to a rebuild, and the Bucks may want to avoid that.
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The alternative would be doing a superstar-for-superstar trade. Antetokounmpo and Towns have nearly identical contracts, so only Ariel Hukporti would need to be added in a deal to make the money work. Towns is only one year younger than Antetokounmpo, so he could come into Milwaukee and offer similar All-Star production, albeit in a completely different style of play.
Towns is the best 3-point shooting center ever, whereas Antetokounmpo is a physical freak who thrives getting to the rim. Antetokounmpo has played more center in recent years, and Brook Lopez is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The Bucks need somebody who can play heavy minutes at the five, and if they decide against a full-blown rebuild, then a deal for Towns could make sense.
Would the Knicks trade Karl-Anthony Towns for Giannis Antetokounmpo?
Knicks' head coach, Tom Thibodeau, has a very distinctive coaching style. He loves players who are elite on defense and play with intensity, and he is known to play his starters a lot of minutes. Because of that, Antetokounmpo would be a great fit for the team. Bailing on Towns this quickly after trading for him would be a little bizarre, but in a trade where they don't give up any other assets, the Knicks could view a Towns-for-Antetokounmpo swap as an upgrade.
The Greek Freak has a Defensive Player of the Year award to his name, whereas Towns was criticized during the Knicks playoff run for suspect defense. The Knicks are filled with lanky players who can guard inside or outside, such as Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, and Antetokounmpo would provide even more of that.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Indiana Pacers thrived when Towns shared the floor with Jalen Brunson. If Antetokounmpo replaced Towns, though, the Knicks would have a star duo that would seemingly fit better together. The risk with this trade is that athleticism fades with age, and Antetokounmpo is more reliant on his physical attributes than a skilled player like Towns is. Even so, the Knicks are so close to getting back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999, and they could view Antetokounmpo as the player who could get them back to championship glory.
