Giannis Antetokounmpo wants out of Milwaukee, and the New York Knicks are the most likely destination for the two-time MVP. If Giannis lands on the Knicks, the Hawks suddenly are no longer realistic contenders for the Eastern Conference Finals.
Antetokounmpo was the target of trade buzz during the offseason, but reports cooled off as it became apparent there was no realistic suitor. The teams best-equipped to trade for him, the Thunder and Spurs, didn’t see the need to make a desperate move, and the Bucks opted not to settle for a lesser package from the Knicks or other teams with less draft capital to spend.
But Wednesday’s reporting indicates that something is brewing behind the scenes. Brian Windhorst revealed that Antetokounmpo officially asked out of Milwaukee over the summer, and further clarified that any trade partner would be approved by their superstar.
Atlanta’s path to the Finals just got much more difficult
Unless the Atlanta Hawks trade for Giannis, he will almost certainly be traded to an Eastern Conference foe who is in better positioning to compete than the Bucks are.
The most likely outcome, of course, is the Knicks. Not only did Antetokounmpo want to land in New York, but they were the only team that reached out to Milwaukee during the peak of the trade rumors over the offseason.
If the Knicks land Antetokounmpo, the Hawks will have to defeat a starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Giannis, and Mitchell Robinson. As high as I am on the potential of this Hawks team, the star core of Trae Young and Jalen Johnson just does not compare to that of Brunson and Antetokounmpo. To make matters worse, Bridges and Anunoby are better supporting wings than Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher, and Mitchell Robinson is an offensive rebounding menace who will eat the Hawks alive on the glass.
The Hawks would have much better depth than the Knicks, who already have a weak bench and would presumably package bench players with Karl-Anthony Towns to make a deal work. While this could be the Achilles heel Atlanta takes advantage of in a hypothetical playoff series, it seems far-fetched that the Hawks would be favored in this matchup.
Hope is not lost. The Hawks could make a move for Giannis or a multitude of other stars with their bank of premium draft assets and tradeable contracts. But barring a mid-season reload, a Giannis trade would tank the Hawks’ odds at making a run for the Finals any time soon.