ESPN Imagines Alternate 2021 Reality Where Giannis Joins Knicks

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ESPN has published an alternate history story that imagines how the NBA landscape would have changed if Kevin Durant's foot had been behind the three-point line in the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals. The story suggests that the Brooklyn Nets would have won the title that year, leading the Milwaukee Bucks to trade for Myles Turner and eventually trade Giannis Antetokounmpo to the New York Knicks in 2022.

Why it matters

This story highlights ESPN's continued fascination with the idea of Giannis Antetokounmpo leaving the Milwaukee Bucks, even going so far as to create an alternate timeline to explore that possibility. It also reflects the network's tendency to speculate on major "what-if" scenarios in the NBA.

The details

The story by ESPN's Zach Kram imagines a world where Durant's foot was safely behind the three-point line in Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals. In this alternate reality, the Brooklyn Nets go on to win the 2021 NBA title, leading the Bucks to trade for Myles Turner but still fail to find playoff success. Giannis is then traded to the Knicks in July 2022, where he loses to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals. The story also includes other ripple effects, such as Damian Lillard going to the Phoenix Suns and the Chicago Bulls ending up with Cooper Flagg.

• In the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals, Kevin Durant's foot was on the three-point line, leading to a two-pointer instead of a game-winning three-pointer for the Brooklyn Nets.
• The Milwaukee Bucks went on to win the 2021 NBA title, their first in 50 years.

What’s next

The story is a speculative exercise and does not indicate any actual plans by the Bucks or Giannis Antetokounmpo. The 2021 NBA championship remains the Bucks' first in 50 years.