New York loves its stars, the lights, the headlines, and the drama, but what happens when the chase for a superstar turns into an obsession?
That’s the question circling Madison Square Garden right now as the Knicks weigh their next move.
They’re good, really good, sitting at No. 3 in the Eastern Conference with Jalen Brunson playing brilliantly and Karl-Anthony Towns fitting well, giving them depth, defense, and structure, but in a city where “championship or bust” isn’t a saying but an expectation, that’s not enough.
Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd has an idea—go after Giannis Antetokounmpo, trade Towns, trade OG Anunoby, trade Mikal Bridges, and throw in five first-round picks, even though New York doesn’t actually have five to give.
If it sounds dramatic, that’s natural—this is New York basketball, after all.
- The Knicks are rumored to be considering a major trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, potentially parting with multiple key players and draft picks.
- Another trade proposal involves Kevin Durant heading to New York in exchange for defensive assets to balance the Suns’ roster.
- Veteran P.J. Tucker signs a 10-day contract with the Knicks, bringing defensive toughness and leadership to the team.
Giannis to the Knicks Is a Trade That Would Cost Everything
Cowherd’s thinking isn’t completely out of nowhere since Giannis is a once-in-a-generation player, the type of guy you mortgage everything for, but there’s a problem because Milwaukee isn’t just giving him away.
If they even think about trading him, they’re going to want a return that sets them up for another decade of success.
That means New York can’t just send Karl-Anthony Towns and call it a day since the Bucks would want picks—lots of them—but the Knicks don’t have enough, so the only way to make this happen is to trade Anunoby and Bridges for more picks, then send those picks to Milwaukee.
That raises a big question—if they trade away Towns, Anunoby, and Bridges, what’s left? The Knicks, as they stand, are solid, playing defense, building chemistry, and forming an identity, but if they trade them, they’re no longer a deep, balanced team.
Cowherd doesn’t seem to care about the cost, pointing to the Knicks’ struggles against elite teams—0-3 against Boston, 0-2 against Oklahoma City, and 0-2 against Cleveland, arguing that they’re good and some nights very good, but not great, and comparing them to the Lakers when they realized LeBron and Anthony Davis needed more.
“The Knicks can’t beat good teams,” he said. “They’ve got to do what the Lakers did. LeBron and AD were good. They actually won a title, and the Lakers moved off of it.”
So, the solution is to go all in. Sell the farm.
Is he right? Maybe, maybe not, because while the Knicks could become instant contenders, they could also turn into a thin, top-heavy team that just traded away their future.
Could Kevin Durant Finally Join the Knicks?
If trading for Giannis is too complicated, Kevin Durant could be another option.
Durant’s history with the Knicks is complicated because, in 2019, he famously chose the Brooklyn Nets over them, even though his agent, Rich Kleiman—a lifelong Knicks fan—wanted him in New York, his family wanted him in New York, and the Knicks wanted him in New York, but Durant?
“At that time, the Knicks weren’t cool,” he said.
Now, things are different because the Nets experiment fell apart, and Durant is in Phoenix playing with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal on a Suns team that isn’t living up to expectations, sitting 2.5 games out of the play-in tournament, and people are talking.
ESPN’s André Snellings has a trade idea, sending Durant to the Knicks for OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson.
It’s an interesting move because, unlike Giannis, Durant wouldn’t cost as much, meaning New York would keep Brunson and Towns while adding one of the greatest scorers in NBA history.
“Their skill sets mesh well and could be enough to help the Knicks take that next leap to join the Celtics and Cavaliers in true contention to win the Eastern Conference,” Snellings argued.
It sounds good, but is Durant still the guy you bet on? He’s 35, his body has been through a lot, and while he’s still elite, for how much longer?
If the Knicks make this move, they’re not just going all-in for a title but all-in right now, and if it doesn’t work immediately, it’s a disaster.
Phoenix, meanwhile, needs defense since they rank 27th in the league, and Anunoby, a second-team All-Defense guy, and Robinson, one of the best defensive centers in the league when healthy, could give them the stability they desperately need.
Former NBA front office executive Bobby Marks, however, isn’t sold because he likes a different deal—sending Durant to the Houston Rockets for Dillon Brooks, Jock Landale, Reed Sheppard, Cam Whitmore, and a pile of picks, a trade that would bring Phoenix more assets and long-term potential.
If the Suns prefer that deal, the Knicks are out of luck—again.
P.J. Tucker Joins the Knicks on a 10-Day Contract
While the Knicks wait on these blockbuster decisions, they’ve made a smaller move: They’ve signed 39-year-old P.J. Tucker to a 10-day contract. Sure, it’s not a big signing, but it says something about where the team is at.
Tucker hasn’t played a single game this season after starting with the Clippers, getting traded to Utah, getting traded again to Toronto, and finally being waived before landing in New York, likely playing his final years in a supporting role.
Why bring him in, then? Well, the Knicks wanted an “enforcer,” someone with playoff experience, toughness, leadership, and, hopefully, a few clutch corner threes.
He’s expected to sign before their game against the Sacramento Kings on March 11, meaning he’ll be available for five games before the contract expires on March 19.
If he fits, he may stay longer, but if not, the Knicks move on.
What Now?
The Knicks have choices to make because they can go big, trade for Giannis or Durant, and change everything, or they can stay patient, trust the team they’ve built, make small moves like signing Tucker, and wait for the right opportunity.
One move could make them a contender, but one mistake could set them back years.
