There has been chatter surrounding a Giannis Antetokounmpo-Knicks union for years, as the star repeatedly refused to shut down the possibility of leaving the Bucks.
This summer, things got real.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Knicks and Bucks discussed a potential Antetokounmpo trade in August after the star singled out New York as "the only place" he wanted to play outside of Milwaukee.
The talks between the clubs were described to ESPN by a source as "an exclusive negotiating window."
A source confirmed to SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley that the Knicks and Bucks had cursory talks about an Antetokounmpo deal in August. The talks did not reach an advanced level.
Begley reports that winning a title in New York appeals to Antetokounmpo, and would be one reason why he sees them as a destination.
Per Begley, the Knicks — and many other teams — have monitored Antetokounmpo's situation and will continue to do so.
The majority of the discussions this summer between the Knicks and Bucks took place after the Knicks and Mikal Bridges agreed to an extension, reports Begley. Due to the extension, Bridges was unable to be traded — and can't be dealt until Feb. 1, 2026.
Begley notes that — as was the case over the summer — Antetokounmpo would need the Bucks to work with him on a trade destination in order to wind up in New York. Another route? The two-time MVP can make things uncomfortable by forcing his way out of Milwaukee. He could use his pending contract extension (he's eligible in October 2026) to dissuade other teams from trading for him.
The Knicks, who dealt a ton of their draft pick capital while trading for Bridges last year, might have to get creative if Antetokounmpo hits the market again during the season.
While the Bucks — who finished 48-34 last season and were the No. 5 seed in the playoffs — are still a viable threat in the Eastern Conference, it's the Knicks and Cavaliers who are viewed as the favorites to emerge this season in a conference where the Celtics (without Jayson Tatum) and Pacers (without Tyrese Haliburton) are severely weakened.
Antetokounmpo, 30, is under contract through the 2026-27 season and holds a player option for the 2027-28 campaign. His cap hit this season is $54.12 million.
Since winning back-to-back MVP awards in 2018-19 and 2019-20, Antetokounmpo has finished in the top five in MVP voting each of the last five years.
In 67 games last season, he averaged 30.4 points and 11.9 rebounds while playing 34.2 minutes per contest.
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