With the end of the regular season still weeks away, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the Bucks has already emerged as one of the most intriguing storylines of the upcoming offseason.
But when it comes to the prospect of the “Greek Freak” moving from Milwaukee to the Mecca, one of the most popular players in Knicks history isn’t holding his breath.
“Giannis is not coming,” John Starks told Front Office Sports in a recent interview. “To be honest with you, I’m not sure if he’s going to leave Milwaukee. Because he’s such a loyal individual. And I respect that about him.”
To Starks, such loyalty has become a lost art in the league. Amid frequent player movement, Antetokounmpo has been one of the exceptions of his era by spending the first 13 years of his career with the same team that drafted him.
Remaining in Milwaukee, however, could prove easier said than done.
Dating back to last offseason, there has been no shortage of speculation regarding Antetokounmpo’s future, which only increased as this past February’s trade deadline approached. Although the Bucks ultimately opted to keep their franchise player, the team’s on-court struggles this season and an ongoing standoff between the two sides over his playing status have seemingly only increased the odds that the 31-year-old has played his final game for the franchise.
Bucks owners Wes Edens and Jimmy Haslam even went as far as to tell ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne earlier this month that if Antetokounmpo doesn’t sign a contract extension this summer, then the team will, in fact, trade him. But while multiple reports have indicated that the Knicks would be one of the 10-time All-Star’s preferred destinations, Starks remains skeptical.
“I’m not saying that he don’t want to come,” he told FOS. “They love the basketball here. It’s the greatest city ever when you winning. But if you ain’t winning, it could be a tough city for you. Everybody wants to be in a big market. Giannis definitely wants to be in a big market, obviously. But you have to win, too, on top of that.”
To that end, the Knicks pulling off a deal that acquires Antetokounmpo without gutting the team’s roster could prove difficult, as New York continues to owe draft picks to the Nets via the Mikal Bridges trade. Then again, how the Knicks fare in this year’s playoffs will go a long way toward shaping their offseason outlook—especially if one of the league’s best players happens to become available.
