The New York Knicks are reportedly bowing out of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes — regardless of the outcome of the 2026 NBA Finals.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Knicks are expected to return with the same core of players in the 2026-27 season, even if they fall short of beating the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals, which gets underway with Game 1 on Wednesday night.
“They’re in the NBA Finals, and I think we can all safely say the Knicks are not going to be one of the teams Giannis will be on next season,” Charania said on Tuesday.
“There are going to be other destinations for that.”
“The Knicks have so much confidence in what they’re building, and we’re seeing that right now,” added Charania on the “Cousins” podcast with Tracy McGrady.
Knicks Trade for Giannis Now Dead?
Charania noted that the Knicks were very much involved in the Giannis trade sweepstakes back in February when the Milwaukee Bucks fielded offers for their two-time MVP. However, the Bucks reportedly never seriously entertained any offers.
“They did make offers, but they felt the Bucks didn’t really want to move Giannis,” Charania said. “The Bucks, meanwhile, felt the Knicks weren’t making strong enough offers to entertain trading Giannis.”
“At the end of the day, they washed their hands of that situation.”
Earlier this year, Charania reported that Antetokounmpo informed the Bucks last July that the Knicks were his preferred destination.
“Including a meeting in Antetokounmpo’s native Greece in late July after which the New York Knicks became the only team he’d play for other than Milwaukee — and the Bucks refusing to move him, Antetokounmpo agreed to give the new roster a chance to grow. His pledge didn’t last long, however.”
Knicks Prepare for NBA Finals
The Knicks can’t be blamed for prioritizing their own roster rather than pursuing a Giannis trade. Mike Brown’s team is taking a historic 11-game winning streak intot he NBA Finals, after sweeping both the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Although the Spurs enter the NBA Finals as -220 favorites, several scouts and coaches around the NBA feel the Knicks are the team to beat amid their scorching run.
“You know the more and more people I’ve talked to around the league, scouts and other coaches, they’re really surprised that the Spurs are favored by as much as they are,” NBA insider Brian Windhorst told ESPN’s “Get Up” on Tuesday.
“They get with [Victor] Wembanyama and how tough the West playoffs were, but they really believe that the Knicks have some advantages in the series and that this thing could absolutely go New York’s way.”
Those scouts and coaches aren’t alone, as Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is also picking the Knicks to capture their first NBA championship since 1973.
“I got the Knicks in six,” Barkley told ESPN Radio’s “Freddie and Harry” on Monday.
“I think the Knicks have been the best team in the playoffs — anybody who knows anything about basketball knows that,” he added.
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