One of the most coveted trade chips in NBA history is preparing to hit the open market, as Giannis Antetokounmpo alerted the Milwaukee Bucks that he is “ready for a new home.”
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the impending split between the two-time MVP and a Bucks team that currently sits in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. The NBA trade deadline is just one week away on Feb. 5, but if Milwaukee cannot find the right deal, he is willing to wait for a deal to be facilitated during the offseason.
Enter the New York Knicks, who will be “among teams making aggressive offers” for Antetokounmpo, according to SNY’s Ian Begley. The Miami Heat are also expected to be heavily involved.
The Knicks have been heavily linked over the past year to a potential blockbuster for the 31-year-old, who is averaging 28 points and 10 rebounds per game this season. President Leon Rose and the Bucks reportedly held talks in August, but did not gain much momentum as Antetokounmpo was still deliberating his future.
But the Bucks are going nowhere, and Antetokounmpo obviously wants to get back to a contending team to spend the second half of his career with. The 2021 NBA champion has reportedly expressed a desire to reunite with point guard Jrue Holiday, currently with the Portland Trail Blazers, who the Knicks appear to be in on as well.
Winning these sweepstakes would catapult the Knicks back toward the top of the list of championship contenders. The team has hit a rough patch since winning the NBA Cup last month, and a struggling Karl-Anthony Towns has left plenty to be desired from an inconsistent frontcourt. Swapping him for the nine-time All-Star completely changes the trajectory of the organization.
Antetokounmpo is expected to miss four to six weeks, however, with a strained calf.
