How the Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals Could Impact Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Trade Market

All eyes are on the Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals as each team vies for the league’s biggest prize. Most will be watching for the pure entertainment value, but one franchise in particular might have another good reason for tuning in: the Bucks.

Milwaukee is reportedly still mulling over their trade options for star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to The Stein Line, and intend to deal him before the NBA draft kicks off on June 23. However, they may choose to wait until after the NBA Finals are over to see if the Knicks become an interested suitor.

From Marc Stein’s report:

There is an increasing belief leaguewide that they would prefer to wait until after the NBA Finals before completing a deal to see if the Knicks end up squandering a 2–0 series lead. Might the Knicks then decide to re-enter the Giannis Trade Sweepstakes in response to the disappointment of letting the title slip away?

The Knicks choking their 2–0 lead in the Finals would, simply put, be an all-time catastrophe for the franchise. It’s reasonable to imagine that New York would look to make drastic changes to its roster if that should happen, considering its arguably narrow championship window with an aging roster.

Of course, that’s still a massive if. The Knicks are still up 2–1 over the Spurs with Game 4 set to take place on their home court at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. Win that, and they will practically be able to taste the championship.

There’s no telling exactly what Antetokounmpo wants, either. The two-time league MVP reportedly has the Heat “at the top” of his wish list, per The Stein Line, and there are also some whispers that the Celtics are on that list, too. Then there’s the constant likelihood of him staying in Milwaukee, the only home he’s ever known, as he so elatedly voiced last season amid rampant speculation surrounding his NBA future.

A recent history of Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors tying him to the Knicks

Giannis Antetokounmpo, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks — The Knicks have been mentioned in Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors for months. | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The months-long, drawn-out Antetokounmpo trade saga reached its climax last year, with the Bucks ultimately shutting the door at the February deadline and holding onto the 10-time All-Star despite having listened to offers. Antetokounmpo, who has one guaranteed season left on his contract before his $62.8 million player option in 2027-28, sounded pretty adamant at the time that he wanted to stay a Buck and help the organization win a title.

The latest reports, though, suggest otherwise. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported a month ago that Milwaukee is open for business as the 31-year-old heads into what would be his 14th NBA campaign.

Antetokounmpo’s dalliance with the Knicks dates back to before the 2025–26 season, when the Bucks reportedly had a “multi-week discussion” with New York about a possible trade in August, per Charania. During those discussions, Antetokounmpo apparently zeroed in on the Knicks as the only team outside Milwaukee that he was “open” to playing for.

The Knicks pairing Jalen Brunson with another franchise cornerstone piece like Antetokounmpo would automatically make them perennial contenders in the East for the foreseeable future. But should New York get the job done and clinch a title this year, that may become more of a far-fetched dream rather than a teasing possibility.

2026 NBA Finals: Knicks vs. Spurs schedule

All games during the series have tipoffs listed at 8:30 p.m. ET. ABC will broadcast every game of the series.

Game	Date	Venue	Result
1	Wednesday, June 3	Front Bank Center	Knicks 105, Spurs 95
2	Friday, June 5	Front Bank Center	Knicks 105, Spurs 104
3	Monday, June 8	Madison Square Garden	Spurs 115, Knicks 111
4	Wednesday, June 10	Madison Square Garden	TBD
5	Saturday, June 13	Front Bank Center	TBD
6 (if necessary)	Tuesday, June 16	Madison Square Garden	TBD
7 (if necessary)	Friday, June 19	Front Bank Center	TBD

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