The Knicks reportedly spoke to the Bucks about a possible Giannis Antetokounmpo trade last offseason after the two-time MVP identified New York as a preferred landing spot, but those talks didn’t go anywhere. That could be partly because Karl-Anthony Towns was rumored to be the Knicks’ outgoing salary, and some people around the league don’t value the former No. 1 overall pick.
“I don’t think there is a [trade] market for KAT,” an NBA executive told Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link). “Not that he is a bad player, but he’s not a winning player. … It’s too much money to spend on him.”
Knicks sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic that the offseason trade talks involving the two big men created “hard feelings” between Towns and the front office that “remain to this day.”
For his part, Towns downplayed his name being involved in recent trade chatter, Bondy writes in another story. The five-time All-Star has known Leon Rose for years, as the Knicks’ president was Towns’ former agent at CAA, but they haven’t spoken about any of the speculation.
“I feel like I’ve been in trade rumors a lot for a lot of times, for a year damn near. That don’t matter to me,” said Towns, who was traded from the Timberwolves to the Knicks before last season. “I don’t look at social media or none of that stuff. I focus on the job on hand which is trying to get wins every single night. As long as I do that, I do my job, I go home happy and I feel accomplished. I’m not worried about what anybody got to say or people write or anything like that.”
Here are a few more rumors and notes from New York:
- According to Bondy, the Knicks remain highly interested in Antetokounmpo, but Milwaukee is reportedly looking for “blue-chip young talent” and several draft picks in any deal involving the nine-time All-NBA forward, and New York simply lacks the necessary assets to have a competitive bid compared to other teams, which control their future first-round picks. Unless Antetokounmpo specifically requests to be traded to the Knicks, they’re a “long shot” to land him, says Bondy. Of course, even if Giannis does prefer to play in New York, the Bucks aren’t obligated to fulfill the request. New York’s odds of landing Antetokounmpo would theoretically improve in the offseason, Bondy notes, when the team will have two first-round picks to trade, as opposed to the top-eight protected 2026 first-round pick the Knicks currently control from the Wizards that will likely turn into two second-rounders.
- The Knicks are still actively looking to unload Guerschon Yabusele‘s contract and have been talking to multiple teams about possible trades, Bondy reports (subscription required). Bondy continues to hear Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado is on the team’s radar, and confirms Yves Missi is as well. Kings guard Keon Ellis is another player who has fans in the Knicks organization, a source tells Bondy.
- Yabusele, a french forward/center, holds a $5.8MM player option for next season. When asked about the possibility of returning to the EuroLeague at some point, Yabusele didn’t rule it out but said his focus is on the NBA, per Toni Canyameras of Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo (Twitter video link). “I feel like that’s a good question,” Yabusele said. “I definitely don’t know what tomorrow is going to be like or anything like that. But I never close my door on anything. Obviously it was so [difficult to make it back] to the NBA [that I’m focused on staying] in the NBA, but we will see what opportunities present themselves. There’s definitely going to be a conversation to have, and [we’ll] see what the [European options are]. We will see. I will never say never [to a potential return].”
- Veteran wing Mikal Bridges has been in a slump for most of the past month, but he torched the Raptors in Wednesday’s win at Toronto, finishing with 30 points on 12-of-15 shooting in 36 minutes. Bridges, a Philadelphia native who played college ball at Villanova, struggled in Saturday’s loss in Philly, scoring just nine points on 3-of-16 shooting. He said that game served as something of a wake-up call (Twitter video link via Knicks on MSG). “I think a lot of it comes from not just shooting the ball, I think I just wasn’t playing how I was supposed to be playing. I think I wasn’t coachable enough,” Bridges said. “I don’t know what it was. Maybe I felt too much entitlement. Just kinda had to talk to myself a little bit about it and just be coachable and be the best teammate I can be and let the basketball speak for itself.”
Forget Giannis. I’m not depleting any more depth on the Knicks. Could the Knicks get Precious and Westbrook for Yabu and Diadet?
I like your thinking mlb …. yeeess
This whole Giannis situation is just messy and outta control tbh. I think it’s one of the biggest reasons why this trade deadline has been so quiet thus far. Most teams are still waiting and probably wishing upon a star that Giannis will leave Milwaukee soon, but I honestly don’t see him being moved until the offseason. It’ll be a better opportunity for a bidding war by then. As far as the knicks are concerned..they may as well ride it out with the current roster and retool in the offseason as well. Move yabusele and Kat if possible, and fortify the roster. Health and consistency is key for most teams to make a push for the playoffs.
Giannis is overrated he’s a one-time NBA champion and will never be the man on another NBA championship team. He’s 30 years old. He can’t carry a team to the playoffs. We just seen that this year one Superstar in their Prime can carry a team to the playoffs. Those are facts. We’ve watched it happen year after year after year with other player. The problem is Giannis will always be hurt for the rest of his career because of the way he plays. He is now entering 30 plus which means he cannot just barrel his way to the Basket and expect not to pick up injuries. The other problem he has is with the new cap. Where is he going to go without depleting the team that he’s going to play for?
Miami will be the same situation as Milwaukee
New York only if Milwaukee takes kat And I’m guessing that’s going to cost him OG or another good player plus all their picks.
Golden State why in the world would Milwaukee take Butler unless it came with every pick they can trade which would destroy Golden State Curry is 38 years old. So what are you talking a 2-year window if even that?. So I’m really not why you give up all the players. On top of that, for a guy who won defensive player of the year and MVP Giannis has the least amount of success in NBA history with those awards. When it comes to the playoffs he has one conference finals and that was the year he won the NBA finals. Outside of that he gets balanced in the second round every single year
Ever since KAT started acting a little funny in the head he went from being an all star center to a novelty player (like lamelo ball)
Don’t get me wrong I believe he is the greatest ever at stretch 5 but he stopped playing defense and he can’t even post up Russell Westbrook right now
KAT is so soft…I wouldn’t want him or his salary in a trade either
Towns needs to realize there was a reason he was being talked about in trades to begin with. Grow a pair and go play.
Say Giannas stays the season and makes a move in the offseason.
What about Heat and Knicks still make a deal.
KAT for Rozier, Powell and Ware
Knicks
Brunson Powell Bridges OG Ware
McBride Shamet Hart Yabu? Robinson
Heat
Mitchell Herro Wiggins KAT Bam
Smith Larson Jacquez Jovic …
Knicks add some very solid depth.
Powell is a really good scoring option, Ware is a solid young big man. Hart off the bench with McBride and Robinson provides impact. Rozier is strictly just salary matching expiring deal but if anything that helps with potential cap savings in the future.
Miami you get the big man played in KAT and I think his biggest weakness is his defence and you’ve got Bam beside him who’s a good defender. Bams biggest weakness is his lack of offence and occasional poor rebounding and that’s KAT’s two best skills. They complement each other very well.
Losing Powell sucks but it means you don’t have to pay him and with Herro returning you get that scoring punch on the perimeter.
Giving up the 3 for 1 opens a couple roster spots for buyouts/free agents and you could do with a couple extra bits of depth.
This doesn’t make any sense for either team imo.
This is why you don’t box yourself in trading for a player who aren’t sure will be the guy you want to cash in your final chips on. The Bridges trade was one thing (a lot of assets, but if the Knicks remain a good/great team for a long time they will generally be late picks), but tying yourself down to a guy who has been known for years as a weak defender, overpaid, soft, and lackluster in the playoffs was an obvious mistake. All the Knicks had to do was be a little more patient and things might’ve worked out, but they blew their load early and here we are.