NBA Trade Rumor: Karl-Anthony Towns To Be Traded for Giannis Antetokounmpo?

Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the hottest names on the rumor mill these days, even while he's battling tooth and nail against Victor Wembanyama in the NBA Finals, with his NY Knicks up 2 games to 1.

But Towns still has two more years at an average of $59 million annually on his deal. Would the Knicks rather give that type of money to Giannis Antetokounmpo for the next two years instead?

As insider Jake Fischer reminds us, it was New York that Giannis actually told the Milwaukee Bucks to try to trade him to last summer. "And Karl-Anthony Towns would've almost certainly had to have been in that trade."

Ironically, adds the insider, as a floor-spacing, shot-making big man, Towns would actually be an ideal frontcourt partner for Giannis, but alas, that's likely not going to happen.

Insider: The Bucks will come back to the Knicks for last dibs on a Giannis trade

But would the Knicks actually consider trading Towns if he continues to play a key role and they go on to win the NBA championship?

“I’ve had multiple people tell me today that if MIL really was getting to the finish line of a Giannis trade to Miami or anywhere else, that they’re calling New York back and saying ‘are you sure you don’t want to put Karl Anthony Towns in a trade for Giannis?”

— @JakeLFischer… pic.twitter.com/E272xTuNNz
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) June 9, 2026

"I'm not sitting here thinking that KAT is going to be on the trade block," said Fischer on Tuesday, "but I've had multiple people tell me today that if Milwaukee really was getting to the finish line of a trade for Giannis to Miami or to anywhere else, that they're calling New York back, and they're saying 'Are you sure you don't wanna put Karl Anthony Towns in a trade for Giannis?'"

The Greek Freak has one year plus a player option remaining on his contract. It pays him $58.5M next season, and $62.7M in his option year. But rival executives are operating under the premise that any trade for the superstar will likely be contingent on an agreed-upon extension with the new team.