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Trade proposals have Knicks cashing in young stars for Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Sporting News's profile
Original Story by The Sporting News
June 9, 2025
Trade proposals have Knicks cashing in young stars for Giannis Antetokounmpo

The New York Knicks are in as good a position as any team to put together an offer for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus laid out two trade options for the Knicks to acquire the Greek Freak.

The first option would see the Knicks receive Giannis and two-way forward Tyler Smith, sending star center Karl-Anthony Towns to the Bucks and 2024 first round pick Pacôme Dadiet to the Brooklyn Nets. The Bucks would also receive pick no. 36 in the 2025 Draft from the Nets.

This is a fairly simple maneuver, and frankly, it would be a steal for the Knicks. They are essentially swapping Towns for Giannis, which just about anyone would agree is an upgrade.

The other option Pincus listed was a bit more complicated.

In this scenario, the Knicks would get Giannis while shipping off star forwards OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. Anunoby would end up with the Bucks, and Bridges would join the Memphis Grizzlies with pick No. 47 and a $6 million trade exception.

The Knicks would also send the 2026 Washington Wizards protected first-round pick to the Bucks, as well as first-round pick swaps in 2026, 2030, and 2032. The latter would be top-five protected.

Lastly, the Bucks would also receive Grizzlies forwards Brandon Clarke and GG Jackson II, Grizzlies guards Vince Williams and John Konchar, pick No. 48, and protected first-round picks from Memphis in 2028 and 2032.

This would be much more costly for the Bucks, losing two young stars in Anunoby and Bridges, as well as multiple picks/swaps. However, it may be the more realistic price to pay for a player of Giannis’ caliber.  

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