One of the most respected names in NBA media today may have just outlined the Knicks’ dream scenario after their loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals — and perhaps the Milwaukee Bucks’ worst-case outcome, too.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, long-time NBA analyst Bill Simmons floated a multi-team trade concept that ends with Giannis Antetokounmpo suiting up in Madison Square Garden for the contending Knicks.
The framework? A three-way blockbuster that ships Mikal Bridges to San Antonio, sends Karl-Anthony Towns and a mountain of draft picks to Milwaukee, and drops Giannis into the lap of the Knicks.
“Could you send Bridges for picks and send those picks with Towns for Giannis and basically turn Towns and Bridges into Giannis?” Simmons asked.
And considering the Knicks were just two games away from playing in the NBA Finals, one would have to stop and think about this proposed framework. It's an interesting one, to say the least.
Bill Simmons just dropped another wild trade idea
Let’s be clear: This isn't just fan fiction. Simmons' ideas, while sometimes far-fetched, often stir real conversation and highlight potential pathways for teams. More often than not, they're also reflective of where discourse within league offices is actually going.
It’s a convoluted path, but it's ultimately one that lines up with the NBA’s current chessboard. The moving parts are as wild as they are intricate:
- Knicks receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Bucks receive: Karl-Anthony Towns, multiple draft picks from the Knicks (via Spurs)
- Spurs receive: Mikal Bridges
The logic: Simmons suggests the Spurs pivot from Kevin Durant, an older, oft-injured superstar, to a more age-aligned piece in Bridges to flank Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio while providing both defense and scoring punch.
In so doing, they also send off valuable draft capital to the Knicks. New York then flips Towns and that draft capital for Giannis, who’s coming off another monster season (30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists per game on 60.1 percent shooting) but is reportedly "open-minded" for perhaps the first time in his Bucks tenure after yet another early playoff exit in Milwaukee.
If this sounds outlandish, that’s because it is. But it’s not impossible.
From Milwaukee’s perspective, the offer is a steep downgrade. Towns is a gifted offensive big — 24.4 points and 42 percent from deep this season — but lacks Giannis’ defensive gravity, physicality, and leadership. The picks would have to be elite, and even then, the Bucks would need to accept that their window with Giannis is closed. That’s a hard sell unless he outright demands out.
But in that scenario, it does bring them closer to a rebuild. The Spurs' picks are reasonably valuable, especially the No.2 pick in next year's draft, but assuming they're able to redirect Towns to another contender and flip him for even more picks, the sky is the limit. It shifts the Milwaukee Bucks from buyers to sellers practically overnight and dramatically alters the trajectory of the franchise going forward.
For the Knicks, it’s a no-brainer. Turning a good player in Bridges and a flawed one in Towns into a two-time MVP still in his prime is exactly the type of high-stakes swing this front office has been gearing up to make. Pairing Giannis with Jalen Brunson instantly vaults them into contender status.
And for the Spurs, Bridges offers a cleaner on-court fit next to Wemby than Durant, especially if they want a defensive-minded, lower-usage wing who won’t need to dominate the ball. It’s a more sustainable long-term bet.
Of course, this all hinges on Giannis being gettable (when all signs indicate that he is not), and on the Knicks giving up on Towns (when all signs indicate that they are not). But consider the landscape: The Bucks’ postseason record since their 2021 championship has been a series of frustrating setbacks. This past season saw them bow out early, despite Giannis's dominant individual numbers.
He’s under contract through 2028, and the Bucks aren’t known for folding early. But after back-to-back first-round exits and another coaching change looming, the pressure in Milwaukee is mounting. If there’s even a sliver of doubt about his long-term future, rival teams, especially one like the Knicks with a war chest of picks, will be ready.
Simmons may be spitballing, but history says this is exactly how seismic trades begin: with a wild idea, then a few teams willing to ask “what if?”