Photo: Peter Baba

The New York Knicks are not expected to chase Giannis Antetokounmpo after reaching the NBA Finals, but the conversation around that possibility has not gone away.

Shams Charania reported that New York will not pursue a trade for the Milwaukee Bucks star following its Finals run, a sign that the Knicks’ current success has shifted their immediate priorities. Even so, the idea has not been fully removed from league chatter.

Chris Haynes added another layer to the discussion when he said the Knicks could become more relevant in a Giannis trade scenario if they fall short against the San Antonio Spurs. “If the Knicks were to falter to the Spurs, they might be in play for Giannis,” Haynes said.

That theory is easy to understand from a roster-building standpoint. The Knicks have just completed a season in which they went 53-29, finished third in the Eastern Conference and advanced to the Finals with a core that now has real continuity and playoff proof.

At the same time, Antetokounmpo remains one of the few players who can change a franchise’s direction overnight. He is under contract with Milwaukee and is entering the second year of a three-year, $175 million deal that includes a player option in the final season.

Last year, New York was widely viewed in league circles as Antetokounmpo’s preferred destination, which kept the Knicks in the center of every rumor cycle involving the Bucks.