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The rumor mill is churning
Giannis to the Knicks? That speaks for and against
Every team would like to have Giannis Antetokounmpo – and rightly so. The Greek continues to be one of the absolute best. But a trade also brings difficulties. Especially at a time when deep, balanced teams dominate the NBA. Should the New York Knicks still try everything? Do they need Giannis? Or would they end up having to sacrifice too much?
If the Knicks got Giannis Antetokounmpo in a vacuum, the question would be answered quickly. Of course they would be better off. One of the five best players in the league brightens up any season prediction. It’s just that the NBA doesn’t work that way. The Bucks also have interests – and the last time the Knicks really wanted a player, they handed over five first-round picks and a first-round pick swap to the Nets. For Mikal Bridges, an undoubtedly excellent player, but not a superstar. That means: Giannis is just not available in a vacuum – if he is available at all – he would have a proud price; and that is exactly where the problem lies.
The recent past alone shows how much large deals complicate the medium to long-term prospects of teams. Milwaukee itself sacrificed its future for Jrue Holiday – which brought them a championship -, then for Damian Lillard – the desired result did not materialize – and later to prove to Antetokounmpo that deals can be made even when trapped in hopelessness.
The Clippers put Oklahoma City in one of the best situations in league history when they desperately wanted Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Now they are faced with the rubble of the deal without a title and can neither rely on quick nor medium-term change due to a lack of draft picks and flexibility. The Suns wanted to become champions and are now facing a rebuild – which is admittedly going better than expected – with almost no draft picks of their own.
Big deals, no matter how tempting they may seem, always introduce dangers. Opposite The-RingerAccording to reporter Howard Beck, a league official admitted that in situations where a superstar is available, one rule always applies: “‘Let’s get him now and worry about the rest later.’ You get a sudden adrenaline rush: ‘Hey, we have Giannis.'” That’s understandable. That’s understandable. Superstars remain the ones who drive the league, who sell tickets, jerseys and dreams. Only something has changed.
The new NBA: Depth beats super teams
With the Thunder, a franchise now dominates the NBA that consists almost exclusively of self-drafted or early traded players. The team grew together and offers Coach Mark Daigneault what feels like countless options today and in five years.
Now Oklahoma City’s situation is special because of, among other things, the previously mentioned Clippers deal. At the same time, the Knicks will face the Spurs in the NBA Cup final, for example, who have the potential for a well-balanced, self-developed core with Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper. The same applies to the Rockets, who did not have to give up any of their young key players for Kevin Durant.
NBA Cup: The Knicks’ path to the final
Together, these teams have a certain balance, a certain potential for versatility and a certain, albeit differently pronounced, lack of gaps. Unlike the super teams of the 2010s, the talent level doesn’t suddenly drop. Of course, San Antonio and Houston also have weaknesses, but both teams are on the way to balance. Like the Knicks, by the way.
Knicks: On the way to the elite with the new system?
In the NBA Cup semifinals against Orlando, the entire top five scored in double figures. The Magic kept up for a long time, but had to give up at some point due to New York’s versatility and the resulting constant pressure on their own defense. The Knicks are therefore far from perfect. But the trend is correct.
The season got off to a complicated start under new coach Mike Brown. The team had to get used to the new offense, which was more based on movement and equality, as well as new defensive concepts. Mitchell Robinson was initially missing, while Josh Hart only joined the team at the start of the season. The Knicks had to find themselves, are still finding themselves, but have already taken a few stages of development along the way.
They won nine of their last ten games. They now have the second-best offense behind Denver, are in the top eight in terms of defensive rating and are in fourth place in terms of net rating. The Knicks are showing more and more potential for a deep playoff run. Also because Hart makes the team better as a starter, because Jalen Brunson continues to play like an absolute superstar and OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges give the team a healthy mix of defense and offensive compatibility with the primary scorers Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Mike Brown’s system also gives New York a type of unpredictability that the more static approach of previous years could not provide. Not that the ball runs all at once like with the Spurs in 2014. Not that everyone runs for blocks at once like the Warriors did in their heyday, but the Knicks share more and win. Brunson’s usage rose loudly Cleaning the Glass For example, slightly increased (33.1 percent to 32.4 percent) – this means that the point guard closes possessions (also through assists or turnovers) slightly more often than last season – but he holds the ball in his hands for around a second less. Understandably, New York’s best continues to have his fingers in the game very regularly. At the same time, he shares more quickly and the team benefits. If Giannis came along, the entire approach would change. On different levels.
Brunson and Giannis: Could this be a fit?
First, Brunson would suddenly have another dominant offensive player next to him. Due to a lack of alternatives, Antetokounmpo is responsible for even more attacks than New York’s point guard. That should be found; which is neither impossible nor certain. On the one hand, Brunson would certainly find ways to draw defensive attention without the ball in order to create space for Giannis and take pressure off the 2021 Finals MVP himself. Superstars can coexist. On the other hand, in the past, Giannis played best when he had a point guard at his side who didn’t necessarily need the ball in his hands.
Holiday was also a good fit because he could provide offense, but didn’t have to. He defended intensively, took threes and repeatedly went to the basket. In addition, Khris Middleton was an excellent, effective scorer who was able to take the load but never forced himself into the spotlight. The interaction with Lillard, who initiates a lot of offense himself, was more complicated. This never has to mean that things can’t work out between Giannis and a dominant point guard. Brunson is not Lillard, both have different profiles. But there is not yet a clear blueprint for great success. Especially since Antetokounmpo wouldn’t be on a ready-made team.
Giannis and the Knicks: Is it even realistic?
To convince Milwaukee to make a trade, the Knicks would certainly have to offer two of their core rotation players. The team would be thinned out. Further deals might even be necessary in advance to accumulate more picks after the Knicks sacrificed a significant portion of their draft capital for Bridges. The more players leave, the more gaps open up.
The Bucks may actually be focusing heavily on picks. After all the deals in recent years, they hardly have any draft options left. In addition, the Knicks can hardly offer players who promise Milwaukee a future. As good as Bridges, who can only be traded from February 1st after his contract extension in the summer, and Anunoby are, they do not give a franchise the foundation of a superstar.
They are particularly valuable for New York because they fit Brunson as premium role players, because they can defend, hit open shots, and even put a little pressure on defenses. There is no permanent, elite first attack option. Towns, on the other hand, is an excellent offensive player, but reveals gaps defensively. In addition, Anunoby is the youngest of the trio at 28, and KAT has a player option for a good $61 million for the 2027/28 season. The Bucks would have neither flexibility nor a clear path into the future. It’s not clear which of the trio Milwaukee would like anyway. Either way, the question for the Knicks was about the right big man partner for Giannis.
Brook Lopez looked so good for years because he could protect the ring at the back and hit threes at the front. Towns brings the offensive component, Robinson the defensive component. On the other hand, there are gaps in both games. Antetokounmpo would have less space offensively with Robinson and more to do at the back next to KAT. And whether the Knicks can negotiate another larger deal is certainly questionable. Especially since follow-up transactions on superstar trades are not easy to carry out during a season, as evidenced not least by the Lakers’ activities after Luka Doncic fell into their laps.
Giannis to the Knicks? A clear “yes”
Now all of this sounds a lot like “don’t do it,” but at the same time Antetokounmpo remains a top-five player who, according to various reports, would very much like to play for the Knicks. The Knicks will certainly explore the situation. They have to. Superstars expand the realm of possibility. An Antetokounmpo-Brunson duo can work. At the same time, Giannis improved the team’s defensive prospects – unless all of the Knicks’ other good defenders find a new home as part of the deal.
Since the competition can put together better packages, several franchises would probably end up being involved in a possible trade anyway. There is definitely a danger that the Knicks will sacrifice too much to get the really big superstar. If they can somehow maintain a certain balance, they may increase their chances. As much as we would like it, there is probably no clear answer. With Giannis, the Knicks would be a different team. They would have new strengths and one or two new weaknesses. Maybe their ceiling would be higher, but maybe they would lose too much balance. It’s a shame Antetokounmpo isn’t available in a vacuum.
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