The New York Knicks haven't made a ton of huge moves this offseason, but they did recently raise some eyebrows by signing Mikal Bridges to a lucrative contract extension. Still, the prevailing feeling around the league seems to be that the Knicks are one piece away from really competing for a championship.
Perhaps there is no bigger piece in the NBA than Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has seen his trade rumors reignited this past week in the wake of recent reporting from Shams Charania of ESPN.
Recently, Knicks insider James L. Edwards III of The Athletic broke down why New York could be a potential landing spot for the Greek Freak.
“It is my understanding that Leon Rose and company have been monitoring Giannis Antetokounmpo’s situation in Milwaukee very closely, even before the offseason started,” reported Edwards III. “Many around the league believe the Knicks are interested in star hunting, and while that opportunity hasn’t popped up yet, I certainly believe it’s in the cards if the right situation presents itself.”
It would certainly require a lot for the Knicks to swing a trade for Antetokounmpo, featuring a package that would almost assuredly include Karl-Anthony Towns and a slew of draft compensation.
Do the Knicks have enough?
The Knicks made their deepest playoff run in a quarter century last year when they knocked off the Boston Celtics in the second round before ultimately bowing out to the Indiana Pacers in the Conference Finals.
While this Knicks core hasn't been together for very long, they aren't exactly spring chickens, as Towns, Jalen Brunson, Bridges, and OG Anunoby are all age 28 or older, meaning New York probably isn't getting much better than it is right now.
Concerns about the Knicks' best two players–Towns and Brunson–both being clear negatives on the defensive side of the ball ultimately came to fruition in New York's loss against the Pacers, and switching out Towns for Antetokounmpo would certainly alleviate that problem.
However, at the present moment, there's no indication that a move is especially likely anytime soon.
