The NBA world was set ablaze this morning when ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the New York Knicks were the only team Giannis Antetokounmpo was interested in this Summer outside of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Front offices from both teams engaged in trade dialogue in August, but nothing ever came to fruition.
The two-time league MVP's stance was reportedly decided by the fact that the Knicks are true-championship contenders, unlike his current squad with the Bucks. But outside of basketball, is there another possible reason Antetokounmpo would want to take his talents to the East Coast?
Kevin O'Connor reveals the travel reason Giannis Antetokounmpo would want to come to New York
In a post on X from Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor, he highlighted another potential reason why Antetokounmpo would want to play in New York City.
"Worth noting: The only airport in the United States with daily, year-round direct flights to and from Athens, Greece is in Newark, New Jersey. All other US airports that fly direct to Athens are currently seasonal," posted O'Connor.
Following the news about the 2021 Finals MVP's interest in New York, the Greek news outlet Tovima reported that Antetokounmpo is moving his family to Athens, Greece, on a "permanent basis."
With Newark Airport serving as the only airport in the USA with year-round flights to his home country, it would make sense why Antetokounmpo would prefer to be closer to the East Coast. Transporting his family from Milwaukee to Newark and finally to Greece throughout the NBA season is surely a headache.
For now, though, Antetokounmpo remains firmly in Wisconsin, and any talk about trades will surely quiet down until at least the NBA trade deadline in early 2026.
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