Insider Shares Knicks, Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Talks

Per Shams Charania of ESPN, the New York Knicks tried their luck with the Milwaukee Bucks' franchise face.

Those who have shipped the Knicks and Giannis Antetokounmpo in their hardwood fanfiction received significant ammunition this week, as a lengthy report from Charania states that Manhattan was "the only place Antetokounmpo wanted to play outside of Milwaukee" as his future hangs in relative limbo.

Charania's sources stated the Knicks "believe[d] the Bucks never were serious about entertaining an Antetokounmpo trade," but that an "exclusive negotiating window" between the two sides opened in August. A month before, Antetokounmpo himself admitted that "a lot of people have tried to convince me, tried to convince me to go" to New York in an interview with streamer IShowSpeed.

The insider hinted that the Knicks have held interest in Antetokounmpo for a good bit of the Leon Rose era and that "people in league circles, including some in New York, have believed since 2024 that Antetokounmpo would eventually want to come to the Knicks if he ever explored a trade."

Ultimately, it was the Knicks' other moves that prevented them from making a full-on push at
Antetokounmpo, who is under contract with the Bucks through 2027 before a player before a $62.7 million player option kicks in. While New York reaped the benefits of acquiring Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, such deals "decimat[ed] their ability to make an overwhelming offer to Milwaukee."

Even with the Knicks' lineup largely settled heading into the 2025-26 season, fantasy basketball continues to pair them with Antetokounmpo. Charania himself mentions that the center's future in Milwaukee is "far from settled" and Antetokounmpo's has hardly hid his desire to win a second championship amidst the supposed turbulence.

"I just want more," the 30-year-old Antetokounmpo said over the weekend, per the Bucks' official YouTube channel. "I want to win another championship. I want to win another medal for the national team, because legacy is very important for me."

The Bucks, who have won just won playoff series since their 2021 championship run, engaged in a transformative offseason with Antetokounmpo's victorious desires in mind, notably landing recurring playoff foe Myles Turner on a nine-figure deal and re-upping with Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis, and Gary Trent Jr. In the process, the Bucks bid farewell to several recent staples such as Damian Lillard and Brook Lopez.

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