Breaking Now: New York traded most of its draft assets to secure Bridges and exchanged Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, Have acquired a well known talented Center player

The New York Knicks made two significant trades during the offseason. Just when the news from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski in June about the Mikal Bridges trade was surprising, the Knicks acquired Karl-Anthony Towns just days before training camp began. New York traded most of its draft assets to secure Bridges and exchanged Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to bring in Towns.

With their collection of first-round picks diminished, questions arise about how they might orchestrate a future blockbuster trade, such as for Giannis Antetokounmpo. On Sunday, NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the Knicks are likely among the top four teams that would pursue Antetokounmpo if he requests a trade. The Bucks currently have a 1-5 record and are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. Stein noted that interest in Antetokounmpo has been growing since last August, following an interview with Tania Ganguli from The New York Times in which he expressed his desire not to spend two decades with the same team without winning another championship.

He later signed an extension after the team acquired Damian Lillard, but the Bucks’ struggles so far this season have reignited discussions about a potential trade for Giannis.

The Knicks acquired Karl-Anthony Towns because they needed a center. With Isaiah Hartenstein leaving in free agency and Mitchell Robinson not expected to return until January at the earliest, New York addressed a crucial gap in their lineup. However, according to Marc Stein, rival teams are speculating whether the Knicks had Giannis Antetokounmpo in mind when they made the trade for Towns. “I’ve heard from multiple rival teams since the trade that they’re curious if adding a player of Towns’ caliber could have been part of the Knicks’ consideration for eventually making a move for Antetokounmpo.

This might explain their change of heart about including Donte DiVincenzo in negotiations with the Timberwolves…” It’s important to clarify that Stein is not claiming the Knicks traded for Towns specifically to possibly trade him later for Antetokounmpo. Nevertheless, some teams believe that this could have influenced the Knicks’ decision. No one knows for sure if Antetokounmpo will request a trade prior to his player option in 2027-28. The Bucks are hopeful he will spend his entire career in Milwaukee, but the superstar prioritizes winning. Their poor start could foreshadow future struggles. Despite this, there is still ample time for the Bucks to improve, even if it seems unlikely. The 82-game season is long.

If the Bucks continue to perform poorly, Antetokounmpo’s situation may become more scrutinized. Stein pointed out that the Warriors, Heat, and Nets are also likely contenders for Giannis should he choose to move. Knicks fans might have thought the trade talks were quiet after the offseason, but the speculation continues endlessly!