Did Thibs play the bench this much during preseason?
Official '24-25 NY Knicks Offseason Thread
- Thread starter DPresidential
- Start date
WaveMolecules
Superstar
you wouldve told 8 year old me that 1994 was the closest we would get for another 30 years i wouldnt believe you.
ISO
Pass me the rock nikka
He’s the best SG we have.
He made the right play every single time and looks in fantastic shape biceps looking cut.
Wargames
One Of The Last Real Ones To Do It
It’s a much more democratic offense. Though, this is preseason. They are definitely gonna add in mismatch wrinkles and similar things.
We were so close
AS GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO grappled with his Milwaukee Bucks future this offseason, general manager Jon Horst made the 6,000-mile trek to Athens, Greece, in late July for a face-to-face meeting with his franchise's cornerstone star -- the 2021 NBA champion and Finals MVP.
Horst was coming off a transformative summer for the Bucks, having made the daring move to waive and stretch Damian Lillard to free up the cap space to sign center Myles Turner from the rival Indiana Pacers. It was a major long-term financial commitment, in terms of not only Turner's four-year, $108 million contract but also the cap hit from the remaining $113 million on Lillard's deal that would stay on Milwaukee's books for the next five seasons. It was a full-fledged effort to keep Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee. However, the Bucks had not sought Antetokounmpo's approval or consultation before making the move, just as they hadn't required it when acquiring Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers in 2023.
The 2019 NBA Executive of the Year, Horst has been with Milwaukee since 2008 and took over the GM role in 2017. This marked the third time he has creatively doubled down on the Antetokounmpo-led Bucks, after acquiring Jrue Holiday in 2020 and Lillard in 2023.
So in Athens, Horst sat with Antetokounmpo and one of his agents, Giorgos Panou, for the sides' most seminal and candid meeting of the summer. It was meant to be an open forum to discuss any lingering hard feelings following Milwaukee's third consecutive first-round exit and thoughts on anyone's mind about the Bucks' moves. The architect of the Bucks' first title-winning team in 50 years laid out his vision for the 2025-26 season, saying he believed this version of the roster could compete for a championship in the Eastern Conference.
Antetokounmpo then responded. While Horst expressed his confidence in the Bucks' roster and his moves, Antetokounmpo aired his concerns about whether this team could truly achieve championship contention, and he wanted to explore whether there would be an alternative path forward for both the team and player, league sources said.
In the end, Antetokounmpo returned to Milwaukee for the start of the 2025-26 season. With Antetokounmpo participating at EuroBasket, the Bucks reached an agreement in late August to bring back his brother Thanasis on a guaranteed one-year, $2.9 million deal. At least for the moment, the sides had found a common ground to stay together.
However, one of the game's greatest ever players is a hot button topic around the league entering the new season, and a final resolution could still await. In fact, the path to this point was far from straight, and nearly led the two-time NBA MVP to finding a new home in New York.
The Bucks picked up the Knicks' call on Antetokounmpo, and the sides engaged in conversations for a window of time in August, league sources said, but the teams never got traction on a deal.
The Bucks insisted to the Knicks that they preferred not to move Antetokounmpo, but those in Milwaukee believe New York did not make a strong enough offer to continue even discussing a trade, league sources said. It's unclear how the Bucks would have responded to an all-out chase by the Knicks. The multiweek process was described by one source with direct knowledge of the talks as an exclusive negotiating window. New York, for its part, believes the Bucks never were serious about entertaining an Antetokounmpo trade, sources said.
The Knicks have had an eye on Antetokounmpo for the past couple of years under president Leon Rose, who heads a front office that built the franchise into a perennial playoff contender since taking over in 2020. People in league circles, including some in New York, have believed since 2024 that Antetokounmpo would eventually want to come to the Knicks if he ever explored a trade.
Even with that knowledge, the Knicks made a series of moves independent of Antetokounmpo's potential desires to try to move the franchise closer to a title. New York traded its treasure chest of draft picks to acquire Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets in June 2024, then sent Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-rounder to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns in early October 2024. The Knicks then signed Bridges to a four-year, $150 million extension this August, which makes him ineligible to be traded until February.
Those maneuvers left the Knicks' pool of nonplayer assets limited to one first-round pick, three pick swaps and eight second-rounders, essentially decimating their ability to make an overwhelming offer to Milwaukee. As is, the Knicks, who are coming off an appearance in the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years, enter the season as the co-favorites in the East along with the Cleveland Cavaliers
storyteller
Veteran
Damn, I'm happy with the Mikal and KAT trades. But it's wild if they didn't make a serious offer for Giannis before committing to that build. He refused to go anywhere else. That's when robberies are supposed to take place!
edit: Sounds like the Bucks called this past summer, after the trades were made. But the whole league was aware that Giannis would want New York eventually since prior to those moves.
Last edited:
Wargames
One Of The Last Real Ones To Do It
This was written from the Bucks perspective we have no idea what a “serious offer” is for the bucks. It may have been the equivalent of the Melo deal which gutted the team of players, picks, and cap space.
This to me sounds like they want a playoff team to make a stupid offer, since the Knicks said no.
In The Zone '98
Superstar
So they got to the red zone, and both teams got cold feet
Heard it all before
Heard it all before
Bird in the hand. Going into this season as legit title contenders>>> hoping Giannis decides he wants to come for real.
I think that article shows that Giannis will give it half a season before he demands a trade and his camp is letting the world know that he wants to be a Knick.
Giannis family has already moved out of Milwaukee and his wife and kids now live in Athens Greece full time
Giannis family has already moved out of Milwaukee and his wife and kids now live in Athens Greece full time
Wargames
One Of The Last Real Ones To Do It
I could see the Knicks doing this trade but just like last time the current roster would have to be struggling.
I mean they could go for a big three of Brunson/KAT/Giannis, but we seen so many big three’s fail due to the new CBA I also could see the Knicks wanting to send the Pacers KAT who doesn’t really fit with Turner.
I mean they could go for a big three of Brunson/KAT/Giannis, but we seen so many big three’s fail due to the new CBA I also could see the Knicks wanting to send the Pacers KAT who doesn’t really fit with Turner.
Black Excellence
All Star
He better put his balls on the table and verbally say through his agent he formally requests a trade and his only desire is to play for the Knicks.
We ain’t doing this chasing after bytches who just want compliments and attention shyt anymore.
