The New York Knicks have the means to match Giannis Antetokounmpo’s large wage, though they won’t be his subsequent staff.
The New York Knicks, even earlier than shedding to the Indiana Pacers within the Japanese Convention Finals, have been linked to celebrity Giannis Antetokounmpo in NBA commerce rumors.
In principle, the Knicks can supply Karl-Anthony Cities and rookie Pacôme Dadiet to steadiness Antetokounmpo’s $54.1 million wage, though the Milwaukee Bucks will not be in a scenario to win now, particularly in the event that they commerce away their greatest participant.
The Knicks might additionally supply high-level function gamers like Josh Hart and OG Anunoby in a deal, and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst urged followers to “not low cost” the Knicks within the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.
In fact, each staff within the league can be all for Antetokounmpo’s providers, and the Knicks merely can’t compete with the supply.
If the Bucks commerce away one of the best participant in franchise historical past, it should solely be as a result of Antetokounmpo doesn’t consider that he can carry the Bucks to actual success. Damian Lillard will doubtless miss all of subsequent season with an Achilles harm, and buying and selling away the Greek Freak would sign a tough reset.
Cities, Hart, Anunoby, or Miles Bridges will not be future property, they’re win-now gamers, and with out Antetokounmpo, the Bucks merely shouldn’t have a roster to compete, making these gamers nugatory.
In fact, the Bucks might want to take again a longtime participant to steadiness wage, though the commerce package deal must be supplemented with younger expertise or draft capital.
The Knicks have two first-round picks they might swap, in 2026 and 2030, though these are hardly property the Bucks can be all for.
On prime of that, their younger expertise is proscribed to 24-year-old Miles McBride, who shouldn’t be going to ever be a real star. Rookies Tyler Kolek, Ariel Hukporti, and Dadiet weren’t given a lot enjoying time this season, and their NBA viability is questionable.
Groups just like the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Brooklyn Nets, and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder can simply match Antetokounmpo’s wage with veterans on expiring contracts and supply stable younger expertise and substantial draft capital.
Even groups just like the Golden State Warriors, Miami Warmth, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Lakers can supply extra in the way in which of younger expertise and picks than the Knicks.
Whereas Cities is probably going one of the best participant the Bucks can get in a commerce for Antetokounmpo, they aren’t on the lookout for established expertise, they’d be on the lookout for potential.
Whereas linking a celebrity to an enormous media market is a staple of the NBA offseason, the Knicks are merely an excessive amount of of an extended shot to land Giannis this summer time.
