Blazers May Hold the Key to a Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade

The Portland Trail Blazers could hold the key to the NBA's biggest trade deadline blockbuster in NBA history. As teams try to set the stage for a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, Blazers guard Jrue Holiday represents many teams' greatest chance to land the "Greek Freak" as he weighs his future with the Milwaukee Bucks.

In particular, the New York Knicks are allegedly interested in pairing Holiday with their franchise cornerstone point guard, Jalen Brunson, in the backcourt.

The Stein Line's Marc Stein reports that, "The presumption that acquiring Holiday — if there's a way — would make the Knicks an even more attractive destination to Holiday's former Bucks teammate Antetokounmpo."

That likely means New York is increasingly bullish on the idea of parting with Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, or Mikal Bridges. Deuce McBride is almost certainly not going anywhere, but clearly, he's not in line to move from his bench role.

Blazers can Target Pacome Dadiet, Mohamed Diawara in Jrue Holiday-Knicks Deal

It's unclear if this would be a three-team blockbuster or two separate transactions. Either way, if Holiday is New York-bound, several low-cost Knicks make sense for Trail Blazers GM Joe Cronin and Co. to target.

One is Pacome Dadiet, who once seemed like a potential trade chip in a Robert Williams III deal. Perhaps Williams could be included in a larger multi-team deal, but smaller salaries like Dadiet's would almost certainly be included to make money work in a Holiday trade. Dadiet is raw and needs polish on the offensive end, but could aid in Tiago Splitter's defensive identity.

So could Mohamed Diawara, who has a seven-foot-four wing-span and good defensive instincts. Diawara has been thrown into the fire at times during his rookie season, and it hasn't been a disaster. In fact, there are nights where his offense looks ready for regular rotation minutes.

In a crowded Portland rotation, neither would need to play a big role. Unless, of course, the team decided to sell off most of their veterans and go all in on their youth. With Deni Avdija potentially missing time, the team's young guns may be under the gun for the rest of the season. This could quickly spiral into another lottery finish.

If that's the case, playing as many different potential building blocks is the best use of the remaining 2025-26 regular-season games. If a deal with the Knicks is inevitable, Dadiet and Diawara make sense to give shots to.