New York Knicks owner James Dolan broke nearly three years of media silence this week by appearing on Craig Carton’s WFAN show. During the interview, he appeared to dismiss speculation that the Knicks might try to trade for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo before the deadline.
“Not that I’m aware of. And I think — look, we love our team right now. They have chemistry, they all like each other. I’ve never seen a locker room more copacetic. There’s a lot of energy in there. Leon can always overrule me, but I don’t see us making a big change. We gotta keep building up this group. This group can win a championship. I believe that,” the Knicks owner stressed.
Dolan’s decision to hold off on adding another star reflects his focus on developing homegrown talent and Mike Brown’s push to strengthen the bench while the team’s top players recover or rest. Dolan also said this approach contributed to the disconnect between him and former head coach Tom Thibodeau.
James Dolan prioritizes Knicks chemistry over trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo
“Look how far we got with our group last year. And then take a look at who was playing and who wasn’t playing, and we had injuries. We’re going into this season, the second half of the season — Josh [Hart] is still out and Landry [Shamet] is coming back soon — we got depth. And if we stay healthy, we’ll go into the playoffs in much better condition than we went into the playoffs last year.”
With the February 5 trade deadline looming, Antetokounmpo has emerged as multiple teams’ top target, while the Knicks’ core has stumbled since their NBA Cup victory, particularly on the defensive end.
Adding him would demand a heavy price from the team’s key players, and the front office is clearly invested in maintaining the current chemistry and talent. Still, over their last four games, the Knicks have yet to live up to that promise.
After all the trade buzz, the Knicks seem unlikely to acquire Antetokounmpo, and if Dolan’s statements are accurate, New York may stay put at the deadline. The team has the firepower to reach the top of the Eastern Conference, but they need to shore up their defense and prove they can compete at that level.
