Knicks Can Trade Karl-Anthony Towns For Giannis Antetokounmpo if They Lose in Finals, Says Stephen A. Smith

Giannis Antetokounmpo is an extremely desirable trade target this offseason. On paper, his talents will instantly elevate any team to new heights, even those already competing for a title. That's the exact same mentality that's fueling sports personality Stephen A. Smith, and according to him, if the San Antonio Spurs defeat the New York Knicks in the Finals, changes need to be made immediately.

"Look, man, Giannis is Giannis," Smith said, as per NBA Base on X. "I love Karl-Anthony Towns, I love what I'm seeing from him. It would be hard for me to make that move."

"Mikal Bridges, I'd give him away. I'm trying to hold on to [OG] Anunoby, I'm trying to hold on to KAT, I'm trying to hold on to [Jalen] Brunson," he continued. "I'd give you anything else you wanted if I could get Giannis."

Of course, this scenario hinges entirely on the Knicks collapsing in the NBA Finals. As of now, they hold a 2-1 lead and are still favored to win even after losing Game 3.

Towns is a major reason for their current lead. He contained Victor Wembanyama to a horrible shooting night in Game 1 while he logged 18 points and 12 rebounds.

In Game 2, he logged another double-double with 21 points and 13 boards, while going 8-of-12 on his attempts.

So far, Game 3 was the only game where he seemed to struggle. He scored a personal series-low 11 points on a 4-of-11 clip, and he managed to grab only 8 boards.

Bridges' performance, on the other hand, has not been remarkable stats-wise. Aside from Game 2, he's only scored in single-digits. He logged 9 points in Game 1 and only 2 in Game 3. Part of that is that he isn’t taking many shots. He took 6 in Game 1 and 5 in Game 2.

However, he still sees consistent playing time, thanks in large part to his defensive impact. His length and versatility on defense have been a huge factor, but even that has sometimes been limited by foul trouble.

Meanwhile, the Bucks' power forward, who has been with the team since 2013, won his first NBA championship with them in 2021. And his impact is not something that goes unnoticed. He is the only player in NBA history to finish a regular season in the top 20 in all five major statistical categories: total points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.

To top that, he is the only player in NBA history to average at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block in multiple seasons. While that's impressive, what is often hard to ignore are his injury troubles. He has dealt with recurring knee, calf, and shoulder issues. Even so, he remains an intriguing prospect.

Milwaukee’s front office is waiting for the Finals to conclude before deciding Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future

Early in 2025, when Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors were just taking root, one team stood out. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, there was only one other place where the Greek Freak wanted to play: New York City.

In fact, Charania also reported that the Bucks and the Knicks had conversations over the summer. Ultimately, those discussions led nowhere. Antetokounmpo remained in Milwaukee, and New York went on to have a remarkable regular season.

Had New York's 2025-26 campaign ended there, rumors and discussions regarding a Giannis trade might be raging right now. That isn't what's happening, though.

The Knicks nearly steamrolled through the playoffs, losing only twice in the first round, before sweeping their next two opponents. They won 13 straight games before the Spurs halted their run in Game 3.

Losing is a less likely scenario for the Knicks, but that is exactly what the Bucks are waiting for. According to league insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, they are waiting to see what happens in the NBA Finals before deciding what to do with Giannis.

If the Knicks end up blowing their commanding series lead, then the whispers say that they might re-engage the trade talks they had last summer.

If New York is still Giannis Antetokounmpo's preferred destination, then those talks might actually lead somewhere this time.