Knicks Emerge As Favorites To Land Giannis Antetokounmpo In Blockbuster Trade

The New York Knicks are now the frontrunners to acquire Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, if the nine-time All-Star requests a trade either this offseason or during the 2025-26 season, according to Bovada Sportsbook.

Knicks May Trade Mikal Bridges For Giannis Antetokounmpo

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported in May that Antetokounmpo had “not made any firm decisions on his Bucks future” but “is open-minded about exploring whether his best long-term fit is remaining in Milwaukee or playing elsewhere.”

Per Bovada, if the Greek Freak does ask for a trade, the Knicks have the best odds (+100) to acquire him, followed by the San Antonio Spurs (+200), Miami Heat (+500), and other teams.

For the Knicks to land Antetokounmpo, they will likely have to trade either Karl-Anthony Towns or Mikal Bridges, who signed a four-year, $150 million contract extension with the franchise last month.

New York could still move Bridges to get a deal done, per The Athletic’s James Edwards III.

“As for the Bridges extension, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that New York waited this long into the summer to get it done. … I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Knicks signed Bridges to an extension before Aug. 6,” Edwards wrote.

“A player who signs an extension can’t be traded for six months. If Bridges signed his extension on Aug. 6 or later, he wouldn’t be eligible to get moved until next summer, as six months from Aug. 6 would take us past the expected February trade deadline. The fact that Bridges signed before then makes him eligible to be traded, if the Knicks choose to do that, before the deadline.

“I don’t believe New York did this because it is without a doubt trading Bridges. I believe Rose and company did this to give themselves some flexibility in the event something — like Giannis wanting out — becomes a possibility.”

Bucks Could Move Antetokounmpo For Karl-Anthony Towns

A Bridges-for-Antetokounmpo swap would be an eye-catching headline, but Milwaukee would probably also ask for Towns in return. One NBA insider has recently put forth a realistic mock trade.

Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes presented an interesting trade idea last week involving Antetokounmpo and the Brooklyn Nets. Here is his proposed three-team deal that could bring Antetokounmpo to New York:

New York Knicks Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks Acquire: Karl-Anthony Towns, Danny Wolf, 2026 first-round swap (NYK), 2028 first-round swap (worst of NYK and BKN), 2030 first-round swap (NYK)

Brooklyn Nets Receive: Josh Hart, 2026 second-round pick (MIL via NYK), 2026 second-round pick (MIN via NYK)

In Hughes’ trade proposal, the Nets will facilitate the trade to absorb the excess salaries — the remaining three years and $63 million left on Hart’s current deal — with their $19.91 million in cap space and total cap allocations of $134.73 million.

Brooklyn would receive two second-round picks and a flippable Hart contract for more draft assets in the future.

The Knicks are seeking to get over the hump and into the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.