The 2025-26 season hasn’t started yet, but there’s a lot of buzz building up already for another potential big-time trade in NBA history.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the New York Knicks are the current talk of the town right now, as noise intensified when ESPN’s Shams Charania reported recently that the Milwaukee Bucks have engaged with the Knicks for discussions of a possible deal this past August.
Yet apparently, conversations between the two franchises failed to meet significant progress as Charania mentioned that New York didn’t show serious offers while Milwaukee is uninterested in entertaining a break-up with the Greek superstar.
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Jalen Brunson marked ‘untouchable’ in Giannis trade talks
Fresh from making it back to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000, the New York Knicks are determined to finally get over the hump and win the franchise’s third championship. This makes their rumored strong interest around Antetokounmpo compelling already as the NBA superstar can instantly transform them into a convincing title contender.
As such, any Antetokounmpo trade framework would force the Knicks to go all-in. Besides matching up the 30-year-old’s max salary of over $50 million, New York has to meet the lofty demands of Milwaukee for future assets in order to prepare for a rebuild without their beloved star.
The Knicks are ready to give what the Bucks may want, but any probable deal that would involve Jalen Brunson will be impossible as the ball club deemed their franchise guard as untouchable already on trade talks according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.
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“Team sources have made it clear that Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson was, as expected, untouchable in these talks,” Amick wrote. “In terms of possible players being involved, the common sense lens turns toward Towns, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson from there.”
Brunson has been the face of the Knicks franchise since his free agency arrival three years ago. Upon taking over, he simply made New York basketball relevant again upon surging towards unforeseen basketball stardom.
It would definitely be difficult to see the Knicks cutting their ties with the man who put them back on the map. Brunson’s departure would literally close the team’s title window, as he is the perfect partner they can pair for Antetokounmpo with his shot making, ball handling, playmaking and clutch tendencies.
We can only wait for what’s next in this growing Knicks-Antetokounmpo trade saga, but expect the exclusion of Brunson as New York aims to materialize everything to reality.