Knicks fans this year get to focus on a playoff run rather than fantasizing about which future disgruntled star will finally pick New York, but ESPN’s Brian Windhorst temporarily brought that mindset back with his report on Friday.
Windhorst sent waves through NBA Twitter when he reported that the Knicks are monitoring the situation with the Bucks and superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, as Milwaukee was just bounced from the first round as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and subsequently fired head coach Mike Budenholzer after five seasons with the franchise.
“Is Giannis going to extend? I don’t know,” Windhorst said. “And that uncertainty is what the league is watching right now. The Knicks, for example, they have 97 percent of their attention on the Miami Heat, and three percent of their attention on Milwaukee. ‘What’s going on over there?’”
New York has famously whiffed on multiple superstars in the past, though missing out on a Donovan Mitchell blockbuster turned out to look like the smarter move, as the Knicks dispatched Mitchell’s Cavaliers in five games to claim their first playoff series win in 10 years. Now, arguably the best player in the game could be on their radar.
Still, a lot would have to happen, starting with Antetokounmpo actually not wanting to stay in Milwaukee. He is eligible for another extension this summer, to which Windhorst said he doesn’t expect him to sign, but still, his current deal wouldn’t allow him to become an unrestricted free agent until after the 2024-25 season. So, the Knicks would have to send a massive trade package to the Bucks, and Antetokounmpo would have to want to play in New York. Regardless, the Knicks currently have more pressing matters to worry about.
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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