With Shams Charania detailing the fractured relationship between the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo in a new ESPN article, the Giannis trade rumors are back, as he reports the Bucks are expected to shop Antetokounmpo this offseason.
Now that that has been confirmed, the next question is what Giannis is really worth at this stage of his career. He is coming off an injury-plagued season and will turn 32 before the end of the calendar year.
However, Stephen A. Smith says that, as far as the New York Knicks are concerned, no one is safe except Jalen Brunson and it does not matter how many players they have to give up to get him, even if they have to overcompensate.
"It's not like the New York Knicks haven't given up a whole bunch of stuff before," began Smith. "If there's a team that is in no position to fret over what we have to give up, it's the New York Knicks. You've lost all credibility in that department…I don't want to hear a word about how we don't want to give up something for Giannis. Let me tell you who you give up for Giannis - everybody but Jalen Brunson."
Of course, Smith is once again talking about the Mikal Bridges trade, which he initially loved but now condemns because the Knicks overpaid for a non-All-Star player by giving up four unprotected first-round picks, a protected first-round pick, a second-round pick, and an unprotected pick swap in 2028.
Smith now argues that the Bridges trade has handicapped the Knicks from making player moves since then, because they no longer have draft capital to sweeten trade offers. But now that a generational talent is willing to come to them, they must not hold back and should be ready to agree to whoever the Bucks want for Giannis, just not Brunson.
"I don't care if it's the dance team, the cheerleaders, the concession workers, if you're telling me I'm getting Giannis, I've got to trade some of y'all too," Smith continued. "But player-wise, other than Brunson, everybody is available."
"What do you want? Do you want me to pay their salaries, too? Do you want me throw in a massage, a pedicure? Whatever you need, whatever it is, cuz this is Giannis. We got to stop acting like this is some ordinary dude," he added.
But while Smith wants the Knicks to go all-in for Giannis, "The Ringer" founder Bill Simmons recently revealed a pair of historical data points that suggest that doing what Stephen A. wants the Knicks to do isn't a good idea , given Antetokounmpo's age plus wear and tear.
Simmons shared that only four players in NBA history have averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds at age 32 or older. He also added that Moses Malone is the only player ever to average a 20-10 double-double while playing at least 50 games in a season, 14 or later.
He thinks Giannis' suitors will not get the dominant player he once was but a diminished version of him.
"So if I'm betting on Giannis, to be close to the 29 and 13 guy that he was, and I'm giving up all my assets for him. I'm banking on him bucking two pretty severe historical trends, combined with him suddenly being healthy again, when he has repeatedly not been healthy the last couple of years. And if I'm in that war room, thinking about making trades, I just would say we can't. There's too much evidence that this is dangerous to do," he warned .
There's no question that Giannis is still one of the best players in the NBA right now. He was this season, despite not being healthy. He is also only 31 years old, going 32. But given his style of play and the minutes that his body has played since he joined the league, Simmons may have a point there.
Meanwhile, we'll see if the Knicks can finally complete a deal this summer.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Apr 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
