Giannis Antetokounmpo and Karl Anthony-Towns are two names that have popped up frequently ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. With both stars facing uncertain futures with their teams, a recent mock trade has even floated the idea of them being part of the same blockbuster deal.
NBA Retweet on Monday shared a mock deal proposed by CBS reporter Sam Quinn on X (formerly Twitter). According to the proposed idea, the deal would be between three teams, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Milwaukee Bucks and the New York Knicks.
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Under the proposal, New York would part with the biggest haul, shipping Karl-Anthony Towns, Miles McBride, and Pacome Diadet to Milwaukee. Portland, meanwhile, would receive Miles Bridges and Guerschon Yabusele.
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The headline move, meanwhile, would see the Knicks landing Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Bucks, while the Trail Blazers would send out Jerami Grant to complete the three-team shuffle.
In addition, the Bucks, likely pivoting toward a rebuild after moving on from Giannis, would also walk away with a hefty draft package. The proposed deal had them receiving multiple first-round picks and swaps, including New York’s 2026 first-rounder and a 2028 first-round pick from Portland.
This blockbuster trade could shake up the entire NBA landscape if it goes through. The deal is perfect on paper, as New York would get pieces to help them win their first title in 50-years while the Bucks and the Trail Blazers would remain under the first apron while receiving key players for a rebuild.
However, this remains a hypothetical scenario for now as teams continue to assess their options.
Karl-Anthony Towns stays central to Knicks’ defensive trade plans
The New York Knicks have been viewed as the favorite to vie for the NBA title in the Eastern Conference. However, the team has struggled for consistency during the regular season, with its biggest weakness coming on the defensive end.
Karl -Anthony Towns has often been singled out for this defensive lapse and remains a key piece in the Knicks’ trade plans for a defensive frontcourt player.
Reports suggest the Knicks could explore moving him for a defensive-minded frontcourt anchor, with names like Anthony Davis and Jaren Jackson Jr. emerging as potential targets
“The New York Knicks have held preliminary trade discussions with both the Dallas Mavericks and the Memphis Grizzlies involving Karl-Anthony Towns,” Taylor Houston wrote via X (formerly Twitter).
“League sources say. Conversations with Dallas have included Mavericks star Anthony Davis, while separate talks with Memphis have centered on Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr.”
If that scenario plays out, the Knicks could take another leap toward powerhouse status, with Mike Brown finally getting the defensive anchor his system is built around.
Edited by Arian Kashyap