Apr 26, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) after a 128-126 loss to the Miami Heat during game five of the 2023 NBA Playoffs at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Rumors: Knicks expected to interest Giannis Antetokounmpo if he leaves Bucks
Move over, Joel Embiid. Giannis Antetokounmpo is taking your spot at the top of the list in the New York Knicks’ never-ending rumors.
The Knicks have been linked to Embiid all offseason, although he hasn’t made any public comments about wanting to be traded. Still, with the James Harden saga worsening by the day, Embiid asking out midway through the 2023-24 season or next summer wouldn’t be a shock. Something similar can now be said for Antetokounmpo, who could become a free agent as soon as 2025.
In an interview with The New York Times, the two-time MVP hinted he may look to leave Milwaukee down the road. He’ll be eligible to sign an extension in September, but said he won’t sign one this offseason. Antetokounmpo said he may not sign one next summer, either.
“I would not be the best version of myself if I don’t know that everybody’s on the same page, everybody’s going for a championship, everybody’s going to sacrifice time away from their family like I do. And if I don’t feel that, I’m not signing.”
Antetokounmpo’s comments certainly caught the attention of New York’s front office as the Knicks are still in search of the right star to trade for. Unlike Embiid, Antetokounmpo has an impressive playoff resume which includes a championship and NBA Finals MVP.
Knicks and Lakers expected to interest Giannis Antetokounmpo if he leaves Bucks
In his latest column, NBA insider Marc Stein wrote (subscription required):
The Lakers and the Knicks are already being mentioned as franchises presumed to interest Antetokounmpo down the road if he does decide to move on from Milwaukee, which just made a slew of moves (re-signing Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez and replacing Mike Budenholzer as coach with Adrian Griffin) to try to appease its face of the franchise.
The pressure is on for the Bucks’ front office, particularly Adrian Griffin. The first-time head coach has an impressive resume, which started in Milwaukee when he was hired as an assistant in 2008. Griffin shouldn’t be held responsible if Antetokounmpo requests a trade next summer or declines his player option to sign with a new team in 2025, but it’d still be a tough blow to the organization.
The Lakers are a top contender after making it to the Western Conference Finals this past season and improving the roster this summer, but it’s unknown how the post-LeBron era in Los Angeles will go. The 2023-24 season is expected to be LeBron’s last in purple and gold, and if the Lakers aren’t able to reach expectations, maybe Antetokounmpo will view the Knicks as the best spot for him to win another championship (or two).
New York has the assets to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo if he wants out before he’s eligible to be a free agent in two years. Leon Rose has been patient in his star pursuit, and it could pay off in a big way if one of the NBA’s best players lands with the Knicks.
