Away from the noise of the NBA, Europe is heating up. Think soccer friendlies, but in basketball edition. Yes, that’s how the national teams are warming up for EuroBasket 2025. And guess what? The biggest names of the NBA, like Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic, are wearing their respective countries’ colors. So is Giannis Antetokounmpo, or shall we say, was? You see, the Greek Freak was about to clash with Jokic in Cyprus on Saturday. But Giannis? Let’s say he has pulled himself away.

Antetokounmpo is sitting this one out, and the ECOMMBX Cup just lost its headline act. The Greek Basketball Federation made it official, pulling the curtain on a rare chance to see the Greek Freak go toe-to-toe with Nikola Jokic in Limassol. Serbia will still bring the fire, Israel will still bring the fight, but that electric clash? Postponed. The two MVPs have not shared a national court since 2019, and now the drought stretches on.

Yet, head coach Vassilis Spanoulis plays it cool. Giannis is on his own prep plan, eyeing the bigger stage of EuroBasket 2025. Spanoulis swears this detour changes nothing for the Bucks star’s tournament run. Later this month, the Greek ace will return in time for group play against Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Georgia, and reigning kings Spain. August in Limassol could still turn into pure basketball theatre.

Meanwhile, the Serbian head coach, Svetislav Pesic, expressed his heartbreak on knowing that the 30-year-old Milwaukee Bucks star won’t be playing the friendly match. “I’m sorry he’s not here; we scheduled this tournament partly because of him,” Pesic admitted. “We have a good relationship with the Greeks — they always respond to our invitations, and we return the favor. This time it happened to them; maybe they have some problem. I imagine they’re just as disappointed that Micic isn’t playing.”

But Greece marches into Limassol stacked with Kostas Papanikolaou, Sloukas, Thanasis, and the ever-explosive Tyler Dorsey, ready to light up the summer stage. They’ll face Nikola Jokic without Giannis. Meanwhile, fresh off another season of video-game numbers, Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped over 30 a night for the third year running, grabbed his ninth All-Star slot, and his seventh All-NBA First Team honor. The Bucks still crashed early, and that’s where and how the stories began. Don’t forget that the 2x MVP’s future is still in darkness (sort of).

This very plot has the Knicks grinning like dreamers who just found the keys to a vault. They seem ready to clear out their pockets, making room for something massive. That should make Mikal Bridges glance over his shoulder, since the front office already poured nearly every asset they owned into bringing him to the Garden.

Are the Knicks eyeing Giannis Antetokounmpo by putting Mikal Bridges’ future at risk?

The Knicks stayed busy this summer, locking Mikal Bridges into a four-year, $150 million extension on August 6. It keeps the Eastern Conference finalist core intact for now, but also leaves a door slightly open. Bridges left about $6 million on the table for team flexibility, though a 5.69% trade kicker worth $6.17 million would hand it right back if he were dealt.

Yet the timing speaks volumes. By signing before August 6, Bridges remains trade-eligible ahead of the February deadline instead of being locked in until next summer. That small calendar detail could be more than paperwork. Leon Rose and his front office have kept a close watch on Giannis Antetokounmpo, whose $186 million deal with Milwaukee runs through 2026, with a player option for 2027. And Giannis rumors have a way of heating quickly.

So while Bridges may look secure in Knicks blue, the situation drips with intrigue. New York gave up a treasure chest of draft picks to land him, but star-hunting can make loyalties bend. If the Greek Freak ever signals the slightest interest in leaving Milwaukee, flexibility turns from a luxury into a weapon. Bridges’ extension might be a commitment — or a launchpad.

Thus, every storyline here feels like a match waiting for the perfect spark. Giannis may be out of Cyprus, but his presence still stirs the air in New York. The Knicks clutch their chips, Bridges basks in the glow yet teeters near the edge, and the league leans in. Because when giants even whisper about moving, the earth listens.