Giannis Antetokounmpo may be wearing a Miami Heat jersey now, but the Knicks still found their way into one of his answers.
During a livestream interview with streamer N3on, Antetokounmpo was hit with a rapid-fire question about his post-playing future: “If you could coach any team right now, what team would you want to coach?” His response was simple: “The New York Knicks.”
Antetokounmpo didn’t offer any explanation, but the answer lands with some extra buzz because of how often New York had been tied to him before Milwaukee sent him to South Beach this offseason. The Knicks were heavily linked to him, and even after team owner James Dolan said in January that he knew nothing about it, the rumors kept hanging around all season.
The timing also gives the answer a little more bite for Knicks fans, since New York just won the 2026 championship. Whether Antetokounmpo was thinking about the old trade chatter, the current roster, or just firing off the first team that came to mind, he didn’t say.
For now, though, coaching is a long way off. Antetokounmpo said he still has at least eight or nine years left to deliver on the court, and his attention is on Miami, where he’s set to play alongside Bam Adebayo as the Heat try to build a contender. He’s also the main reason LeBron James is considering a return to Miami, with James, at 41, openly weighing the move because he believes that roster gives him a real shot at another championship.
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Knicks Reward Landry Shamet With Long Term Deal After Title Run
Landry Shamets value to the Knicks went well beyond the box score during their championship run, where he gave them needed shooting and steady defense at exactly the right time. His best stretch came in the Eastern Conference Finals, when he helped stabilize the rotation and fit neatly into a team that leaned on versatility and timely shot-making all spring.
Now the Knicks have made sure that contribution is part of their longer-term plan. Shamet agreed to a four-year, $24 million contract that gives New York some security without fully locking in every season, and team president Leon Rose made clear the organization views him as more than a short-term piece after the way he helped push the club to the title. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Fans Just Learned How Much Brunson Was Really Dealing With
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Brunson is expected to be ready by the start of next season, which matters as much as anything for a Knicks team built around his availability and steadiness. The surgery is meant to prevent the wrist from getting worse and to protect his long-term health, leaving the organization with a brief offseason concern but no reason to believe its centerpiece will miss opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks May Already Regret This Cost Cutting Draft Decision
The Knicks spent draft night looking for savings, trading back in the 2026 NBA draft to trim rookie costs before bringing back Jose Alvarado and Landry Shamet. On paper, it was a tidy bit of roster management, the kind of move that helps a team preserve flexibility while filling out the back end of the rotation. But the cost-cutting approach also meant passing on a couple of intriguing young players who fit obvious needs for a team trying to balance win-now depth with a little long-term upside.
Cameron Carr and St. John's Zuby Ejiofor have both looked the part early in Summer League, which only sharpens the question of what the Knicks gave up by moving back. New Yorks veteran-heavy roster already leaves little room for developmental mistakes, and the ripple effects of that draft-night decision could reach beyond this summer if the team keeps trying to squeeze in more proven pieces around the edges. [Read more 🡒]