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The last stage of the New York Knicks’ 2026 championship quest begins on Wednesday night, as the franchise is set to face the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
New York will face its stiffest test yet in playoff round No. 4, as the Spurs’ elite star power (led by Victor Wembanyama) combined with their dependable bench play will make them a tough out. Still, the Knicks are expected to go toe-to-toe with San Antonio and give them all they can handle from the get-go.
Before the start of the finals, though, ESPN’s Shams Charania provided the NBA world with a significant update on New York’s long-rumored pursuit of Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Simply put, Charania’s report makes New York’s stance on acquiring the two-time MVP after the finals crystal clear.
“They (Knicks) did make offers, but they felt the Bucks didn't really want to move Giannis,” Charania stated Tuesday. “The Bucks, meanwhile, felt the Knicks weren't making strong enough offers to entertain trading Giannis.”
"At the end of the day, they washed their hands of that situation. Now, they're in the NBA Finals, and I think we can all safely say the Knicks are not going to be one of the teams Giannis will be on next season. There are going to be other destinations for that."
The Knicks’ reported trade decision is exactly what most individuals in the NBA realm expected. Antetokounmpo has always been an emergency trade target for New York, as the Jalen Brunson-led squad is firmly in win-now mode and was prepared to aggressively pursue the 10-time All-Star if they failed to reach the final round of the postseason.
Obviously, the Knicks don’t have that problem this time around, which suggests their current roster has what it takes to succeed in the Eastern Conference moving forward.
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