According to NBA insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line, the New York Knicks are interested in trading for Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday and one veteran league executive knows why.
The NBA executive told Ahn Fire Digital that the Knicks are trying to get Holiday so Giannis Antetokounmpo requests a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks to New York.
“Giannis loves Jrue,” the NBA executive said. “This is a brilliant idea by the Knicks. Not only does Jrue help them defensively, but he’s also one of Giannis’ closest teammates and friends. This is all a ploy to get Giannis to request a trade to the Knicks, and I think it might work.”
Antetokounmpo and Holiday were teammates on the Bucks for three seasons. The two All-Stars won the 2021 championship together against the Phoenix Suns in six games.
Before this season started, the Knicks and Bucks discussed an Antetokounmpo trade, but the two sides couldn’t agree on a deal.
If Antetokounmpo requests a trade from Milwaukee, New York is his preferred destination, sources said. The two-time MVP told Sam Amick of The Athletic that he will never request a trade from the Bucks, but there are whispers around the league that Milwaukee’s brass is starting to realize that parting ways with Antetokounmpo could benefit both sides, sources said.
After all, the Bucks are not championship contenders and Antetokounmpo is better suited to play for a winning team at this stage of his career.
A future Hall of Famer, Antetokounmpo is making $54.1 million this season, while Holiday is making $32.4 million. The NBA exec told Ahn Fire that the Knicks have to acquire Holiday first before making a deal to get Antetokounmpo. Mikal Bridges would likely go to Portland and Karl-Anthony Towns would probably land in Milwaukee.
Antetokounmpo will miss the next four to six weeks with a right calf injury. The 2026 NBA trade deadline is February 5 at 3 p.m. EST. It will be fascinating to see if the Knicks get Holiday and Antetokounmpo.
