If Giannis Antetokounmpo ever gets his wish and winds up being traded to the New York Knicks, Leon Rose and the rest of the front office should promptly send Damian Lillard a gift basket. The prospect of a Giannis-to-the-Knicks timeline would not exist if he didn’t move on from the Portland Trail Blazers in 2023, and cost the Milwaukee Bucks control over so much of their future.
Of course, in this scenario, New York should also thank Bucks general manager Jon Horst, He oversaw the acquisition of Lillard—a totally justifiable move at the time, to be sure, but one that has put the franchise in an awkward situation now that its two-time MVP is a flight risk.