Knicks Urged to Strike Blockbuster Trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo
Knicks Urged to Strike Blockbuster Trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The New York Knicks' 2024-25 season came to a close to the Indiana Pacers on Saturday. The Knicks fell in six games in the Eastern Conference final, unable to reach the NBA finals. What can they do to get to the next level? ESPN analyst and former Chicago Bulls' Jay Williams said add Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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On Monday's episode of Get Up, host Mike Greenberg asked Williams if the Knicks should be "moving heaven and earth" to trade for Giannis and put the team "over the top."
Williams' answer suggested that adding Giannis would improve the Knicks' lineup by helping the longevity of one of its biggest stars, Jalen Brunson.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo during game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
"What puts Jalen Brunson in the best position long-term is to be 1A when you need him to be 1A the most at the end of games," Williams said. "Due to the fact he absorbs so much physicality, I don't need him to carry the load over the course of an 82-game regular season schedule and into the playoffs."
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"A guy like Giannis can carry that load," Williams said on Get Up.
Williams acknowledged that the Knicks would have to give up a lot of pieces and assets to bring the Greek Freak to the Big Apple, but it's in the best interest of Brunson's long-term success as the two's play would work well together.
Following the game six loss that eliminated Brunson and the Knicks, Brunson expressed his confidence in the team's ability to make another run for the NBA finals next season.
"The most confidence. Overconfident," Brunson said in the post-game news conference.
I wonder how confident he'd be if they added a former MVP.
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Related: How New York Knicks Can Land Giannis Antetokounmpo This Offseason
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
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