It’s not official yet, but it sure looks like Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to be requesting a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks soon. The two-time MVP scrubbed the Bucks from his social media last week. And though he strained his calf two nights ago and is set to miss 2-4 weeks, he’ll still be staying busy according to reports that say the Bucks and he are planning on discussing his future with the team.
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That sounds similar to what happened this summer when many fans thought Giannis would request a trade. That trade request never did happen, but the fact that it’s being revisited just a quarter of the way into the season is indication enough that with the Bucks at 10-13, Giannis isn’t happy with his current situation.
Any team in the league would love to have Giannis, but there are two factors that will narrow the list of potential suitors. First, a team has to be able to provide enough assets to make the deal palatable for the Bucks, and second, they have to be a team that Giannis actually wants to go to.
The Bucks and Knicks reportedly engaged in trade talks this summer at Giannis’ behest, so there’s a good chance that those could be revisited in the coming weeks. Franchise icon Carmelo Anthony broke down what that means for the blue and orange on the latest episode of 7PM in Brooklyn.
“The only way I’ll make this Giannis move,” Melo said, “is if this is gonna guarantee us a championship. Because this is not a one-for-one swap. There’s a lot of s*** that’s gonna go down with this trade, which is why there’s only a couple teams who can be prepared for this type of caliber of a trade.”
Whether it’s the chance to sign a sought-after free agent or being a rumored trade destination for a superstar, Knicks fans have gotten their hopes up many times throughout the years.
Often, they’ve been let down, though there have been notable exceptions, such as when the team traded for Melo back in 2011, or just before last season when Karl-Anthony Towns came over from Minnesota for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
Melo’s cohost Fazeem Famuyide acknowledged the ongoing roller coaster ride of being a Knicks fan.
“It feels like anytime one of these star players are somehow in the mix to being moved, these league-shaping, league-altering trades that end up really deciding who wins in the grand scheme of these things, Knicks fans get thirsty. New York fans get thirsty. I’m thirsty!” he claimed.
“That’s the gift and the curse,” Melo responded, adding that since New York was the epicenter, no matter what was going on, the Big Apple is always going to be a destination for guys to think about a trade.
“So New York will always be at the top or on the list of a trade destination, which gets the fans excited that somebody is thinking about New York as a destination, especially a great player,” Melo explained.
It’s difficult to be rational when a player like Giannis is involved, but to go back to Melo’s earlier point, would adding Giannis guarantee a championship? The answer is no.
Even if they got him for free, the Thunder are such a juggernaut right now that although a Jalen Brunson-KAT-Giannis core would certainly have a shot, there’s no guarantee that they’d prevail.
The reality, though, is that the Knicks can’t hope to get Giannis for free. Adding him to the team will likely require trading away Kat, and possibly guys like OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges or Josh Hart, as well as the Manhattan-sized package of future draft picks.
No one trade can guarantee a title. Not these days, when the talent level around the league is so high, and certainly not when injuries are so prevalent, especially among star players. Giannis and his calf strain are proof of that.
That’s not going to stop Knicks fans from getting their hopes up once again, but a lot needs to happen before Giannis potentially joins them.
First he needs to request a trade, then he’d need to indicate that the Knicks are the team or one of the teams he’d like to go to. Then the Knicks will have to decide if they’re willing to give up what it takes to get him.
After decades of mismanagement, the Knicks have finally been able to piece together a really strong team. Going for Giannis is enticing, but it would mean dismantling the current roster and unmaking the plans of the past few years.
Long story short, don’t go buying any blue and orange Giannis jerseys for Christmas just yet, Knicks fans. Let’s see how this one plays out first.
