The whole league is waiting on Giannis Antetokounmpo to get traded, including the Phoenix Suns. Although they won't be making any splashy moves at the deadline, they can't even upgrade the power forward position with a minor move until the Greek star has been moved.
The Suns should also be concerned that the Minnesota Timberwolves have in recent days emerged as a surprise candidate in the Giannis sweepstakes. That really would throw a spanner in the Suns' long-term roster building plans.
Former Sun Mikal Bridges the reason Knicks can't land Giannis
You would think the New York Knicks would be involved at this point, particularly given their own season has come off the rails since winning the Emirates NBA Cup.
They have plenty of players they could trade in order to make space for Giannis, while Karl-Anthony Towns has been the subject of trade rumors himself recently. Second apron isn't making any of this easy though.
timeline cooking up giannis trades pic.twitter.com/iMrsZihRml
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Crucially the Knicks no longer have the kind of picks heavy package to entice the Bucks, because they used most of their draft capital on securing Mikal Bridges.
One of Phoenix's favorite former Suns, Bridges has been exactly what the Knicks have needed him to be since coming across from Brooklyn.
An ironman who never misses games and is an elite defender, even if his 3-point shot has become more streaky in recent times. Yet despite all of this, he is still no Antetokounmpo.
He is still only 29-years-old however, two years younger than the Bucks' franchise player and currently in the prime of his career.
But there is a certain irony here in a former Suns player, who they themselves gave up to land Kevin Durant, being the reason why New York can't get the guy they have seemingly wanted for years.
Giannis is partly to blame for this being the case as well, as he has still to this day never come out and said he wants to leave Milwaukee.
Had he done so when the Knicks had the package put together that landed them Bridges, then a deal almost certainly would have been done.
So while Antetokounmpo is holding up any plans the Suns might have in the coming days, the fact the perfect situation for a star player and New York can't happen as a result of something they did is kind of funny.
The only downside here being that it likely forces him to the Western Conference instead, and a collision course with the Suns as they try to improve.