Overview

• ESPN reporting says Giannis Antetokounmpo privately singled out the Knicks as his lone preferred destination outside Milwaukee, prompting a multiweek August dialogue that never gained traction.
• Bucks sources signaled a firm intent to keep him and deemed New York’s overtures insufficient, while the Knicks believed Milwaukee was not genuinely entertaining a trade.
• New York’s offer power is constrained after deals for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, leaving one tradable first-round pick plus swaps, with Bridges currently ineligible to be moved.
• In July, Bucks GM Jon Horst met Antetokounmpo in Athens, where he voiced concerns about the team’s title prospects as Milwaukee braced for the possibility of a trade request.
• Antetokounmpo returned for the season emphasizing championship goals, disputed an owner’s account of a June commitment, and is expected to monitor Milwaukee’s early performance before reassessing.