Bucks Open Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Talks Beyond Knicks

Merlin sees the Bucks at a crossroads. ESPN’s Shams Charania reports Milwaukee would open trade talks about Giannis Antetokounmpo beyond the New York Knicks, who had an exclusive negotiating window. Brian Windhorst says Giannis has asked for a trade, and Giannis told reporters "It's not the first time" he has thought about playing elsewhere. The club is slumping 2 and 9 in its last 11 games, Giannis is out with a calf strain, and New York lacks the draft picks to build an easy deal for Milwaukee. Merlin senses a chess match unfolding. Teams like the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat are floated as realistic fits, but Milwaukee cannot simply rebuild because it does not control future first round picks. Giannis was at an elite pace before the injury, so the next moves will test the Bucks front office and reshape the East whether or not a deal happens soon.