The New York Knicks are once again in the thick of trade season chatter - and this time, the stakes are sky-high. With the deadline just around the corner, New York is reportedly eyeing two-time NBA champion Jrue Holiday, a defensive stalwart and proven playoff performer currently with the Portland Trail Blazers. But here’s where things get really interesting: Holiday might not just be a standalone target - he could be the key to a much bigger prize.
According to multiple league insiders, the Knicks’ interest in Holiday isn’t just about bolstering their backcourt. It’s also about laying the groundwork for a potential future move involving none other than Giannis Antetokounmpo. Yes, that Giannis - two-time MVP, 10-time All-Star, and the kind of player who instantly transforms a franchise.
The logic? Teams like the Knicks believe that reuniting Giannis with Holiday - his championship teammate from Milwaukee - could help tip the scales in their favor if and when Antetokounmpo decides to move on from the Bucks. And that possibility is starting to feel more real as Milwaukee continues to stumble through a frustrating season.
TrueHoop’s Henry Abbott recently reported that the Knicks are one of three teams on Giannis’s supposed shortlist, alongside the Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves. Now, it’s worth noting that there’s some conflicting information here - another source reportedly disputed the idea of a definitive “three-team list.” But what’s clear is this: conversations are happening, and the Knicks are very much in the mix.
Still, even the most tantalizing rumors come with complications. For one, there’s Jrue Holiday’s contract.
He’s locked in through next season with a hefty $34.8 million salary and holds a player option for the 2027-28 season. For a Knicks team already over the first luxury tax apron, adding that kind of salary would require some serious cap gymnastics.
That likely means parting ways with key contributors - think OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, or even Karl-Anthony Towns if the numbers need to match.
And while Giannis may be open to a new chapter, pulling off a trade of that magnitude is never simple - especially midseason. The Knicks reportedly held exclusive negotiations with the Bucks over the summer, which suggests there’s at least some level of mutual interest. But a lot has to go right for a superstar trade to materialize, and timing is everything.
So where does that leave New York? In a familiar spot: right in the middle of the rumor mill, weighing bold moves against financial realities and roster chemistry.
But this isn’t just another deadline rumor. This is about potentially reshaping the franchise around a duo that already has a championship pedigree.
Jrue Holiday is more than a trade chip - he’s the kind of player who brings leadership, elite defense, and playoff experience to any locker room. And if his arrival could help lure Giannis to the Garden down the line? That’s the kind of long game that could change everything for the Knicks.
For now, it’s a waiting game. But make no mistake - the Knicks are playing for more than just this season.