Blockbuster NBA MOCK Trade: Knicks Land Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks Rebuild Around Karl-Anthony Towns

A Giannis-for-KAT swap headlines this bold NBA mock trade, reshaping the Bucks and Knicks while shaking up the Eastern Conference and fantasy basketball landscape.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) gets ready to play Indiana Pacers during game four of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Fiserv Forum. | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Giannis Antetokounmpo remains one of the most dominant forces in basketball—but make no mistake, the Greek Freak is growing restless in Milwaukee. Yes, the Bucks hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2021, but that championship glow has long since faded. The supporting cast has crumbled around him: Khris Middleton declined and was ultimately dealt to the Wizards, and Damian Lillard’s devastating Achilles tear in the first round against Indiana could sideline him for the entire 2025–26 season.

Without Lillard, Milwaukee simply doesn’t have the firepower to compete in an Eastern Conference stacked with star power. Giannis, who posted a jaw-dropping 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game while shooting over 60% from the field, deserves to be in the thick of the title chase—not stuck in neutral. He may not be a three-point sniper, but his rim attacks are so lethal that it hardly matters. Just look at his last playoff game: 30 points, 20 rebounds, 13 assists, two steals, and two blocks in 44 minutes. He’s a walking triple-double who brings it on both ends of the floor.

The problem? Milwaukee isn’t exactly a magnet for marquee free agents. So what now? The Bucks owe it to the superstar who broke their 50-year title drought to send him somewhere he can truly contend. Not to a rebuilding project in Brooklyn or Utah—but to a legitimate championship contender. And if Milwaukee can land a cornerstone player in return, it might be the right time to pull the trigger. In this proposed trade, both sides walk away better—and Giannis gets the shot at greatness he’s clearly still chasing.

Milwaukee Bucks-New York Knicks Mock Trade

Milwaukee Bucks receives Karl-Anthony Towns, Pacome Dadiet, one first-round picks, and two second-round picks

New York Knicks receive Giannis Antetokounmpo

Why The Trade Makes Sense For The Milwaukee Bucks:

It might be time for the Bucks to smash the reset button—and if they do, building around Karl-Anthony Towns could be the perfect place to start. Arguably the most gifted shooting big man in the league, Towns is coming off a monster All-Star campaign in which he averaged 24.4 points, a career-best 12.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game. He was electric from beyond the arc, connecting on 42% of his threes while knocking down two per game, and shot a blistering 52.6% from the field over 72 appearances. Simply put, he’s still very much in his prime—and he’s built to be the face of a franchise.

With Brook Lopez likely exiting in free agency, Milwaukee suddenly has a glaring hole at the five. Enter Towns, who not only fills the void but elevates the offense with his unique floor-stretching skill set. The Bucks have thrived with bigs who can shoot—Lopez, Bobby Portis, you name it—and KAT takes that to an entirely new level. He also brings marketability. Known for his expressive on-court personality and meme-worthy interactions with refs, Towns is one of the most entertaining—and polarizing—figures in the NBA. But beyond the flair and “zestiness”, he’s an underrated playmaker for his size and a matchup nightmare on the perimeter.

Heee Heee!
Karl-Anthony Towns had 40 PTS, 12 REB, 5 AST, 3 STL, 3 3PTS & these passes!

The postgame🤣 pic.twitter.com/cjweb18TJ1

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 12, 2025

And let’s not overlook the sweetener in this potential deal: Pacome Dadiet. The 6'8" rookie out of France didn’t light up the stat sheet in Year 1, but his upside is real. Drafted 25th overall in 2024, Dadiet has the size, athleticism, and instincts to grow into a reliable two-way contributor. Milwaukee badly needs a developmental wing to help fill the Giannis-sized void, and Dadiet could quietly become a gem. If he polishes his outside shot and continues to assert himself defensively, he could evolve into a legit rotation piece with starter-level ceiling.

Throw in draft capital and the Bucks suddenly have a blueprint to retool—not rebuild. Pairing Towns with Damian Lillard (assuming he’s still in the picture post-injury) gives Milwaukee a new-age inside-out duo with serious firepower. We’ve seen dominant point guard–center tandems work wonders in NBA history: Stockton and Malone, Magic and Kareem, Frazier and Reed—and more recently, Murray and Jokic brought a championship to Denver. If Lillard can return to form, the foundation is there for another playoff push.

Yes, parting ways with Giannis would be painful. But landing an All-NBA-caliber big, a promising young forward, and future picks? That’s the kind of return that can reshape a franchise. If Milwaukee wants to stay relevant while planning for tomorrow, this could be the deal that keeps the Bucks rolling.

Why The Trade Makes Sense For The New York Knicks

The New York Knicks haven’t hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy in what feels like a lifetime, but that drought might finally be nearing its end. After reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years, the Knicks fell short against the Indiana Pacers—but the foundation is clearly there. Year one of the Jalen Brunson–Karl-Anthony Towns experiment was far from a failure, but it revealed one glaring truth: Brunson can’t do it all alone in the playoffs. He needs a co-star who can match his energy, carry the offensive burden when needed, and wreak havoc on the other end. Enter Giannis Antetokounmpo—the ultimate remedy.

Slotting Giannis into the Knicks’ frontcourt alongside a healthy Mitchell Robinson might raise a few spacing eyebrows, but the shooting around them balances things out. Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby are all knockdown threats from deep, giving the offense enough breathing room to make the combo work. And let’s be real—nobody’s expecting Giannis to be Steph Curry from distance. What he lacks in range, he more than makes up for with sheer dominance attacking the rim, rebounding, and defending every inch of the court.

Defensively, this is where the move really shines. The Brunson–Towns duo was often hunted on that end in the postseason, and it cost New York dearly. Replace Towns with Giannis, keep Robinson protecting the paint, and suddenly Brunson is the only weak link defensively—an acceptable trade-off when the rest of the floor is locked down.

And there’s more help on the way. The Knicks are reportedly eyeing veteran bucket-getter Jordan Clarkson, a move that would give them a legitimate scoring punch off the bench. Clarkson’s ability to heat up in a hurry would alleviate pressure from Brunson and ensure New York doesn’t fall apart when the starters rest. Combine that with a Towns-for-Giannis deal, and the Knicks may finally have the firepower—and defensive muscle—to conquer the East.

Jordan Clarkson is expected to sign with the New York Knicks after he clears free agency waivers, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/I9PnQFZArw

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2025

With injuries to Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton potentially reshaping the conference landscape, the window for a title run is wide open. Just look at this potential nine-man rotation:

New York Knicks Projected Rotation:

PG: Jalen Brunson

SG: Mikail Bridges

SF: OG Anunonby

PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo

C: Mitchell Robinson

Bench: Jordan Clarkson

Bench: Miles McBride

Bench: Josh Hart

Bench: Ariel Hukporti

That’s a deep, balanced, and battle-ready nine-man rotation—one that even Tom Thibodeau (were he still coaching) might actually utilize. Sure, they’ll need to address backup big man depth, but if your biggest problem is shoring up the ninth spot after landing a generational superstar, you’re in a pretty good place. Ultimately, this is the type of all-in move that turns contenders into champions. And if the Knicks can pull it off, they won’t just be back—they’ll be favored to win the whole thing.

Fantasy Basketball Implications:

The biggest fantasy basketball winner in this hypothetical blockbuster? Karl-Anthony Towns, without a doubt. A move to Milwaukee would elevate him from second option behind Jalen Brunson to the undisputed alpha—even after Damian Lillard makes his return. With the green light to shoot and a higher usage rate, Towns could flirt with a 30-point average and become a nightly double-double machine, especially in a system built to let him cook.

On the flip side, Brunson’s fantasy stock might take a slight dip. Giannis is notoriously ball-dominant, which would cut into Brunson’s assist totals and overall usage. But what he loses in volume, he could gain in efficiency. With opposing defenses locked in on Giannis, Brunson would see more open looks and fewer double teams, which could lead to a boost in shooting percentages and a more sustainable fantasy floor.

As for Giannis himself, his fantasy outlook wouldn’t change drastically. He’d still be a 30-10-5 force with game-altering defensive stats. But there’s a real chance his ceiling takes a minor hit—mostly due to potential blowouts and increased rest days if the Knicks start steamrolling the league. He’d remain a top-five fantasy pick, but with a few more nights off and possibly fewer fourth-quarter minutes, consistency could waver just a bit.

Lillard’s stock would rise once he’s healthy. Unlike Giannis, Towns doesn’t run the offense, so Dame would go back to being the primary initiator with the ball in his hands—a role tailor-made for fantasy greatness. Expect an uptick in usage and production, especially if Milwaukee lets him fully take the reins.

Meanwhile, OG Anunoby would likely be the odd man out in terms of fantasy scoring. Giannis would naturally siphon off some of his offensive touches, and OG’s role would continue to tilt heavily toward perimeter defense. That said, he’d still provide solid value as a low-usage contributor who can rack up steals, grab boards, and chip in a modest 13 points per game.

In the end, while this trade wouldn’t completely upend the fantasy landscape, it would cause subtle ripples across multiple rosters. Some players would see their roles expanded, others refined—but savvy fantasy managers would be wise to monitor these shifts closely and act accordingly.