A New York Story Waiting to Happen: Why the Knicks Should Target the 2021 NBA MVP
It’s hard to forget the sight of Giannis Antetokounmpo sprinting down the court, Euro-stepping through defenders, and throwing down thunderous dunks on his way to an NBA title in 2021. That version of the Milwaukee Bucks, the champions, felt inevitable. They were the team of destiny. Yet since that glorious night, the story has grown more complicated. Each postseason since has ended not in triumph, but in frustration.
In 2022, the Bucks fell to the Boston Celtics in a grueling seven-game series. They were without Khris Middleton, a key member of their core, but the loss still stung. Then came the shocking first-round exit to the Miami Heat in 2023, with Giannis missing two games due to injury and the team faltering despite holding the top seed in the East. Now, in 2024, Milwaukee's dreams have again been dashed early. This time at the hands of the Indiana Pacers. Damian Lillard fought valiantly, though he will now be on the shelf due to a debilitating Achilles injury, and Giannis has been dealing with a calf strain since the conclusion of the regular season. The Bucks were simply too banged up to compete.
As unfortunate as Lillard’s injury is, and it is truly heartbreaking for a warrior who gave everything since he joined Milwaukee, it casts an even longer shadow over the franchise’s future. Damian is in his mid-thirties, and leg injuries of this nature are often career-defining. With Middleton now in DC and Milwaukee short on trade assets and cap space, the road ahead looks far less promising than it once did. This is the moment where Giannis must reflect. He has always been the picture of loyalty and humility, the kind of superstar every franchise dreams of building around. His leadership has never wavered. Yet basketball, like life, is about timing. For a competitor like Giannis, who wants to win. Not just play hard or make headlines, the clock is ticking. Not all hope is lost, however; enter the New York Knicks.
Madison Square Garden is alive again. The energy is back. The Knicks have transformed themselves into one of the most compelling teams in basketball, and it didn’t happen by accident. It happened because of guts. The front office made a brave, bold decision last summer by trading Julius Randle, an all-star in his own right, for Karl-Anthony Towns. It was a gamble, but the kind of gamble championship contenders make. They believed in Jalen Brunson. They believed in their culture. Most importantly, they believed the time to strike was now.
Adding a player like Giannis to that mix isn’t just a dream; it makes basketball sense. Imagine a frontcourt pairing of Giannis and KAT, flanked by Brunson’s fearless shot-making and the hustle of Josh Hart. The Knicks have depth. They have a defense. They have a coach in Tom Thibodeau who demands excellence. What they need now is that one final piece. That singular, generational force that can elevate the entire city with his presence. That piece is Giannis.
For Giannis, this move would not be an abandonment of loyalty, it would be an evolution of it. He has given Milwaukee everything. He delivered a championship, stayed through tough times, and helped reshape the identity of the franchise. Yet champions evolve. Legends pivot. The greatest players chase greatness, no matter where it leads them. New York offers a new chapter. A bigger stage and a tougher challenge.
The Knicks have shown they’re not afraid of bold decisions. They’ve made sacrifices. They’ve leaned into discomfort to chase something bigger than respectability, they want banners. If Giannis wants to win now and for years to come, there may be no better place than the city that never sleeps. Giannis in orange and blue is more than just a headline. It's the kind of story New York was made for.
