The New York Knicks are a team on the cusp of championship contention. After their first Eastern Conference Finals birth since 2000 last season, they should feel confident in their abilities to at least get back there. If not, advance to the NBA Finals, given how weak the East currently is, given injuries.
They are returning almost the entire roster from last year’s run and have also added some important depth to the bench. But does it make New York a lock to come out of the East? Considering how much the Orlando Magic have improved, and the Cleveland Cavaliers may use their early playoff exit last year to fuel a revenge tour, the answer is no. But there is something the Knicks can do to greatly improve their chances.
That would be acquiring Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in a trade, pairing up two of the best players in the world in Jalen Brunson and Antetokounmpo on one Eastern Conference contender.
A Superstar Pairing Made in Basketball Heaven
The fit is near perfect. One of New York’s biggest problems last year was defense, and Antetokounmpo, a former Defensive Player of the Year winner and five-time All-Defensive team member, could fix a lot of those issues right away. But what would it take to acquire the Greak Freak?
Sports Illustrated proposed the hypothetical transaction:
New York Knicks Receive:
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks Receive:
Karl-Anthony Towns, Tyler Kolek, 2 future first-round draft picks
While the Knicks have only had Karl-Anthony Towns for just one season, it wouldn’t be hard to stomach moving him as part of a deal for Antetokounmpo. Towns is one of the best scorers in the league, as a center at that, and was an All-Star starter last season. However, his performances down the stretch frustrated fans with his lack of effort on defense.
Towns’ defense was so poor, New York felt the need to move him to power forward during their series against the Boston Celtics and started Mitchell Robinson at center off the bench. While it worked, Robinson has durability concerns, and keeping him in limited minutes is in their best interest if they want the elite shot blocker and rebounder healthy come playoff time.
Trading Towns for Antetokounmpo is an immediate remedy to that situation, as he steps in right away as the Knicks’ starting center and creates one of the best five-man lineups in the league. While Brunson is a prolific scorer, his defense also leaves a bit more to be desired; his deficiencies can be masked by playing alongside Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Antetokounmpo.
If New York wants to be a lock to play basketball in June next year, this trade is a no-brainer, and the only thing that should be standing in the way is the Bucks’ resistance to trading their franchise player.
