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Another wrinkle is being added to the New York Knicks’ attempts to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. And quite frankly, we didn’t see this one coming.
The Portland Trail Blazers have officially entered the running for the two-time MVP.
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, after telegraphing a willingness to facilitate Giannis’ relocation elsewhere, Portland “has also expressed its own interest to the Bucks that it would like to acquire” the 31-year-old.
This is seriously problematic for both reasons that are obvious, and not-so-obvious. The Knicks have enough obstacles to overcome in their pursuit of Giannis, perhaps the most notable of which is they will never boast the most attractive outright package relative to the field. The Blazers joining the fracas increases the scope of that field, making it even more difficult for New York to emerge victorious.
Yet, because it’s Portland specifically bursting onto the scene, the addition of another suitor is uniquely damaging to the Knicks’ chances.
The Knicks were counting on the Blazers to help them land Giannis Antetokounmpo
As Fischer previously reported, the Blazers have apparently “long admired” Mikal Bridges. That adulation was the basis for many wondering whether New York could acquire the rights to some of the Milwaukee draft obligations Portland currently owns (2028, 2029, and 2030).
On top of that, the Knicks have shown interest in landing Jrue Holiday—who Giannis won a championship alongside, and wants to team up with again.
Both of these hypotheticals implode if the Blazers want a crack at the Bucks’ megastar themselves. It was already a stretch to believe they’d fork over multiple Milwaukee picks for Bridges. They have zero reason to do so if Giannis is now their primary target.
Not only that, but there is no beating their offer. The Bucks do not control their own first-round pick again until 2031. If the Blazers can return the rights to three of Milwaukee’s next five firsts—the 2028 swap would admittedly be complicated—even teams with plenty of draft selections to dangle won’t stand a chance. The Knicks, with no first-rounders available, wouldn’t even have a puncher’s prayer of a prayer.
Don’t free the Giannis-to-Portland rumors…yet
Fischer also notes in his dispatch that the Blazers “realistically understand that it would be an extreme longshot to convince Giannis to sign a contract extension that keeps him in the Pacific Northwest.” Knowing that, the “far more likely scenario remains Portland participating in such a deal as a facilitator to snag an impact veteran (or two).”
Phew. Sort of.
This tidbit doesn’t mean the Knicks can breathe more than a miniature sigh of relief. The Blazers’ mere willingness to go after Giannis raises the bar on offers from other squads, including their own.
To that end, it gives Portland more leverage during talks with New York in which it’d be surrendering Bucks swaps. If you thought Bridges alone would net a Milwaukee pick or two, it might now cost OG Anunoby. And then more.
Time will tell how much this matters. But for a Knicks team with few assets and an even smaller margin for error in Giannis trade talks, the emergence of the Blazers as a wild card suitor is nothing if not immensely inconvenient.