Now that the New York Knicks have officially been eliminated from the NBA playoffs, the media can turn its focus to fantasy roster construction. This morning on ESPN, the Get Up crew discussed whether Giannis Antetokounmpo would be a good fit on the Knicks.
Jay Williams assured host Mike Greenberg that Giannis is the player that can "help sustain a long career for Jalen Brunson." All the Knicks have to do is go get him.
.@RealJayWilliams says the Knicks trading for Giannis could be in the "best, long-term interest" of Jalen Brunson's career.
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 2, 2025
"I don't need [Brunson] to carry the load every single night. ... A guy like Giannis can carry that load." pic.twitter.com/eL2aNVUgbW
"I think what puts Jalen Brunson in the best position long term is to be 1A when you need him to be 1A the most at the end of games," said Williams. "Alan Hahn has referred to him as the Mariano Rivera. Mariano Rivera didn't pitch for seven innings. So all I'm gonna say is to help the longevity for Brunson's career due to the fact that he absorbs so much physicality. I don't need him to carry the load every single night during an 82 regular game season schedule. And into the playoffs. I need him to remain fresh. And that's going to help the longevity of his career. A guy like Giannis can carry that load and actually I think their games are comparable together. They work together."
While bringing in Giannis Antetokounmpo may sound like a great idea to Jay Williams, ESPN's Jay Williams seemed to disagree as he explained later in the show that the "age of stacking superstars is over" because of the salary cap ramifications.
.@RealJayWilliams says "the age of stacking superstars is over" in the NBA 😳
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 2, 2025
"If you are trying to stack superstars in the age of the second apron, you are building a trap door that can hinder your franchise for the next 10 years." pic.twitter.com/pqjuLnhQ9x
Unfortunately, the Knicks traded away many of the future draft picks for Mikal Bridges, which could make it difficult to acquire Antetokounmpo, even if his fit with Brunson is good enough to stack superstars in the age of the second apron when Giannis makes about a million dollars more than Karl-Anthony Towns every season through their unrestricted free agency in 2028.
It sure is fun to talk about though.
More NBA on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jay Williams Says 'Stacking Superstars’ Era is Over, Knicks Should Trade for Giannis.
