Knicks face steep climb if Bucks ever put Giannis Antetokounmpo on market

If Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo ever becomes available, the Knicks are going to get mentioned. Loudly. Repeatedly. And maybe unrealistically.

ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks laid out what a potential Bucks reset could look like and evaluated which teams have the assets to make a real run at Antetokounmpo. New York made the list. The reality, however, is complicated.

Marks notes the Knicks are light on draft capital, with their only non-swap first-rounder being a 2026 pick that is top-eight protected and likely to stay with Washington. That limits flexibility before the conversation even starts.

Financially, things get tighter. New York sits over the first apron, meaning it cannot take back more salary than it sends out in a trade. That narrows the options to major player-for-player constructions rather than pick-heavy offers.

In practical terms, any serious pursuit of Antetokounmpo would likely require a star-level outgoing piece. Karl-Anthony Towns is one theoretical path. Another would involve packaging multiple high-end rotation players such as OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges. Bridges, for what it is worth, cannot be traded until February 1.

So yes, the Knicks will stay connected to Antetokounmpo rumors. But if Milwaukee ever opens the door, New York would be entering a bidding war without many chips to play.