The New York Knicks are keeping a close watch on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s situation in Milwaukee, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.
In a report published Tuesday, Edwards wrote that team president Leon Rose and the Knicks front office have been tracking Antetokounmpo “very closely” since before the offseason began.
The 30-year-old forward has not publicly requested a trade, but league insiders say the uncertainty around his future has prompted teams across the NBA to prepare for any sudden developments.
Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists last season for the Bucks.
He also put up 33.0 points per game in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, where Milwaukee suffered a first-round exit for the second time in three years.
Edwards suggested the timing of Mikal Bridges’ recent contract extension may be connected to the Knicks’ strategy regarding Antetokounmpo.
Bridges agreed to a four-year, $150 million extension that was finalized just before the August 6 deadline, making him eligible to be traded before February’s trade deadline.
Had he signed the extension later, he would not have been movable during the 2025–26 season.
According to Edwards, this move gives the Knicks “flexibility in the event something — like Giannis wanting out — becomes a possibility.”
New York retained Bridges and Jalen Brunson on team-friendly deals and maintained cap flexibility under the league’s newly tightened financial structure.
Meanwhile, the Bucks have made significant changes to their core this summer.
Milwaukee parted ways with Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez, and Pat Connaughton, replacing them with Myles Turner, Cole Anthony, and Gary Harris.
Antetokounmpo is under contract through the 2026–27 season, but player movement in the modern NBA has shown that contract length often does not prevent trades when stars become unsettled.
As Edwards noted, “many around the league believe the Knicks are interested in star hunting,” and Antetokounmpo’s situation is one the franchise appears ready to act on if the opportunity arises.
