Moderators: paulpressey25, MickeyDavis
Matches Malone wrote:I'm guessing we're going to keep seeing/hearing this heavily to start the year. Really odd timing for this to all get leaked now and does nobody any favors. I love Giannis, but this is partially on him for letting it get this distracting. For someone who says they don't like the drama...
midranger wrote:I think Thon requesting a trade worked out well for all involved. Miles Plumlee too.
Profound23 wrote:The Knicks make no sense. If Giannis wanted to go there they would have to gut that whole team for him.
Salaries don't match but it would have to be Towns/Brunson and whatever picks for Giannis/Kuzma/Portis.
Ok now the Knicks are basically the Bucks with Mike Brown instead of Doc.
Ever since the NBA draft combine in mid-May, Alex Saratsis, an Octagon managing director and Antetokounmpo's U.S.-based representative, has fielded rampant interest in Antetokounmpo and conducted serious due diligence on best possible outside fits should the star and his reps push to be traded from the Bucks. Several teams were discussed internally, but one emerged as the only place Antetokounmpo wanted to play outside of Milwaukee: the New York Knicks, multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation told ESPN.
The Bucks picked up the Knicks' call on Antetokounmpo, and the sides engaged in conversations for a window of time in August, league sources said, but the teams never got traction on a deal.
The Bucks insisted to the Knicks that they preferred not to move Antetokounmpo, but those in Milwaukee believe New York did not make a strong enough offer to continue even discussing a trade, league sources said. It's unclear how the Bucks would have responded to an all-out chase by the Knicks. The multiweek process was described by one source with direct knowledge of the talks as an exclusive negotiating window. New York, for its part, believes the Bucks never were serious about entertaining an Antetokounmpo trade, sources said.
The Knicks have had an eye on Antetokounmpo for the past couple of years under president Leon Rose, who heads a front office that built the franchise into a perennial playoff contender since taking over in 2020. People in league circles, including some in New York, have believed since 2024 that Antetokounmpo would eventually want to come to the Knicks if he ever explored a trade.
This offseason marked the first time that Antetokounmpo truly initiated the pursuit of his best external options, and he had discussions with the Bucks that ultimately led to the conversations between the franchise and the Knicks. Fast-forward months now, and he'll be paying close attention not only to how the Bucks perform to start the season but also to the landscape of the rest of the league.
raferfenix wrote:It is interesting the Knicks are the only reported team Giannis considered.
Maybe that changes moving forward.
But as it stands he’d need a slam dunk situation also who the Bucks would play ball with…and the Knicks only have one first-round pick and three pick swaps to deal at the moment:Ever since the NBA draft combine in mid-May, Alex Saratsis, an Octagon managing director and Antetokounmpo's U.S.-based representative, has fielded rampant interest in Antetokounmpo and conducted serious due diligence on best possible outside fits should the star and his reps push to be traded from the Bucks. Several teams were discussed internally, but one emerged as the only place Antetokounmpo wanted to play outside of Milwaukee: the New York Knicks, multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation told ESPN.
The Bucks picked up the Knicks' call on Antetokounmpo, and the sides engaged in conversations for a window of time in August, league sources said, but the teams never got traction on a deal.
The Bucks insisted to the Knicks that they preferred not to move Antetokounmpo, but those in Milwaukee believe New York did not make a strong enough offer to continue even discussing a trade, league sources said. It's unclear how the Bucks would have responded to an all-out chase by the Knicks. The multiweek process was described by one source with direct knowledge of the talks as an exclusive negotiating window. New York, for its part, believes the Bucks never were serious about entertaining an Antetokounmpo trade, sources said.
The Knicks have had an eye on Antetokounmpo for the past couple of years under president Leon Rose, who heads a front office that built the franchise into a perennial playoff contender since taking over in 2020. People in league circles, including some in New York, have believed since 2024 that Antetokounmpo would eventually want to come to the Knicks if he ever explored a trade.This offseason marked the first time that Antetokounmpo truly initiated the pursuit of his best external options, and he had discussions with the Bucks that ultimately led to the conversations between the franchise and the Knicks. Fast-forward months now, and he'll be paying close attention not only to how the Bucks perform to start the season but also to the landscape of the rest of the league.
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/46510104/why-giannis-antetokounmpo-future-milwaukee-far-settled
Not that I wouldnt like for Giannis to just outright come out and put the rumors to bed but ill ask why we cant hand wave it away when we knew all this information yesterday and had hand waved it away?Ron Swanson wrote:We can still rightfully call Shams a clown with zero credibility (he is, he’s been doing this crap for years), but this is finally something that we as Bucks fans can’t simply hand wave away. If they (Giannis and his agent), don’t outright come out and deny (specifically the part about the Knicks), then this is just super weird and not a good look for anyone.
Think everyone knows that this was always gonna be a “let’s wait and see” year with him and the franchise, but with how far this team appears from winning a championship, ain’t looking good if his entire focus is on winning another chip “asap”.
RRyder823 wrote:
Like what is actually new in that article that changes anything from yesterday to today?
fansinceforever wrote:I mean, If we suck this probably becomes more and more real.
Just don't suck.
Ron Swanson wrote:I mean, for anyone thinking “if we’re not contenders this year he’s gone” then it sounds like you’ve already made up your mind cuz that sounds like 100% cope.
Matches Malone wrote:ESPN getting back to the basics.
I'm guessing we're going to keep seeing/hearing this heavily to start the year. Really odd timing for this to all get leaked now and does nobody any favors. I love Giannis, but this is partially on him for letting it get this distracting. For someone who says they don't like the drama...
MartyConlonOnTheRun wrote:Matches Malone wrote:ESPN getting back to the basics.
I'm guessing we're going to keep seeing/hearing this heavily to start the year. Really odd timing for this to all get leaked now and does nobody any favors. I love Giannis, but this is partially on him for letting it get this distracting. For someone who says they don't like the drama...
I have zero idea what Giannis wants, but what is he supposed to say. If he keeps saying every week "I'm never leaving Milwaukee" 1. It changes the leverage for the bucks 2. Changes the leverage for giannis on the Bucks, 3. He might not know for sure and doesn't want to be a hypocrite. Does he want to stay here for years if we decline to a playin team?
He could shout from the roof tops that he is never leaving Milwaukee and it would make us feel better as fans, but doesn't mean it's true or the best thing to do.
Gery Woelfel wrote:Got a time big boy?
