Knicks Must Avoid Trading This Player For Giannis Antetokounmpo

If it isn’t broken, don't fix it. The trade deadline is less than a week away, and teams around the league have one last opportunity to try to help their case towards a championship. Of course, one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks, has much to say about that.

However, if they want to keep that alive, they'd better not pull the trigger on trading their All-Star big man, Karl-Anthony Towns, for Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

According to The Athletic's Sam Amick, the Knicks explored trade options of getting Antetokounmpo this past summer from the Bucks for a package including Towns:

“Just ask the Knicks, whose talks with the Bucks about Antetokounmpo last summer led to hard feelings with Karl-Anthony Towns that, per team sources, remain to this day. That’s the double-doozy that every team seeks to avoid — the failure to land the player they’re pursuing that is followed by a step backward, relationship-wise, with the player who learned he was nearly sent packing in the process.”

This comes as a shock, as the Knicks were just two wins away from the NBA Finals in Towns' first season with the team. If they revisit this trade and are looking to move off of Towns, even for a player like Antetokounmpo, it will set them back.

The Knicks were just in the Eastern Conference Finals with Towns

Last season was excellent for Towns, as he averaged 24.4 points and12.8 rebounds per game with shooting splits of 52.6/42/82.9. The Knicks finished as a top-three seed after acquiring the big man. However, he already had momentum before last season started.

Jan 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) takes a three point shot against Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud (42) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Coming to the Knicks from the Timberwolves, Towns was coming off a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2024. At some point, playoff success has to amount to something, with the only team who eliminated New York the last two years being the Indiana Pacers, who are riddled with injuries this season. This is a prime opportunity for the Knicks to win it all.

The worst thing that could happen is the Knicks looking to move off of something that was highly successful, much like they got rid of their former head coach, Tom Thibodeau, who led them to the same Conference Finals last season and was fired during the NBA Finals.

Antetokounmpo doesn’t fit with the Knicks

While basketball is admired for its individual players, it is still a team game. Players have to play specific roles for the team to be successful. For the Knicks, they have a core of players who have been successful around Jalen Brunson and Towns. At the same time, Antetokounmpo is highly productive statistically.

His inability to space the floor while being ball-dominant doesn’t work for Brunson, though. That's a huge component. On the other hand, Towns can score inside and step out and shoot, keeping defenses on their toes while not taking the ball out of Brunson’s hands.

Dec 13, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts with center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) against the Orlando Magic during the fourth quarter at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Antetokounmpo had a similar situation with Damian Lillard, where the former's ball usage became a barrier to the latter's ability to score in rhythm with the basketball for the Bucks.

Conclusion

If the Knicks want to make a move for Antetokounmpo, it should only be looked over in the offseason. Currently, the Knicks are tied for the second seed in the Eastern Conference and have a golden opportunity to advance out of the conference. Why mess with the chemistry they have with Towns and the rest of the team?

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