Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — Hour 1: Giannis Rumors (Jan 27, 2026)

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into fresh rumors about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future and a potential blockbuster trade involving the New York Knicks. With Don La Greca and Alan Hahn at the mic (Peter Rosenberg is away), the two dissect whether the Knicks should make an aggressive play for Giannis at the trade deadline, what such a move would mean for the team’s roster and future, and how Knicks fans are feeling after a roller-coaster stretch of the season. The conversation also covers broader team-building philosophies, risk/reward calculations, and the psychology of the Knicks fanbase.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recap of Championship Weekend and Transition to Basketball (00:17–08:03)

• Don reminisces about watching playoff football while traveling and notes the aesthetic joy of snowy games.
• Key Football Takeaways:
  • Don strongly feels Seattle is far superior to New England and is not giving the Patriots a chance in the Super Bowl:

    "I actually give New England no chance in the Super Bowl. None chance." (03:07 – Don)

  • Discussion on Sam Darnold’s resurgence and the Giants’ blueprint for a quick rebuild.
• Transition: They move the conversation toward New York sports, hinting at a “bigger story” involving Giannis and the Knicks.

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Rumors (08:03–19:23)

• Alan Hahn asserts their scoop on the Giannis-to-Knicks story:

  "We've hit this stuff, and then once it makes the cycle on the national level, everybody starts getting excited about it again." (08:41 – Alan)

• State of the Knicks:
  • Knicks were recently seen as a cohesive contender, but a rough 2–9 stretch has changed fan sentiment and internal calculus.
  • There’s more openness to drastic changes now, given injuries (especially Kat's status) and erratic play.
• Injury Caveat:
  • Giannis’ value is complicated by his “second calf strain of the season,” expected to sideline him 4–6 weeks.
  • Alan reads Giannis' own words about the injury:

    "I felt like I couldn't explode... at the end when it popped, I had to get out. I couldn't walk." (13:00 – Alan quoting Giannis)

• Tough Choices for Knicks Front Office:
  • Risk of Trading: Gutting the roster and assets for an injured (age-31) Giannis.
  • Risk of Waiting: Missing out on Giannis if another team swoops in.
  • “Damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”
  • Alan cautions, "This is not as easy as everybody wants to make it out that the Knicks could just do... You can't afford to lose him, right? You might not be able to afford to get him for all we know." (18:39 – Alan)

3. The Mechanics (and Reality) of a Giannis Trade (15:32–19:23)

• Alan runs down possible trade machinations, referencing a complex three-way scenario involving Portland and Jrue Holiday, and explains how the Knicks’ lack of assets compared to other teams makes a deal uniquely daunting.
• Analyst Bobby Marks rates difficulty for a Knicks deal as “8 out of 10.”
• Potential for “smaller” trade deadline moves: Hahn expects the front office to do “something,” but warns even these moves could impact a Giannis pursuit.

4. Pressure & Expectations from Ownership (20:06–22:36)

• James Dolan has publicly set the Finals as the expectation, which layers on further urgency.
• Ian Begley (via recap) and Alan note that this “bar” may artificially ramp up pressure to make a “big move at the deadline.”
• Alan: "This is really, right now, the biggest moment for Leon Rose in his front office is what do you do? And only history will tell us whether it was the right decision or not." (22:14)

5. Knicks Fan Callers — Divided Sentiment (24:38–47:14)

• Caller #1 (Dave): “Go all in—now!” (24:47)
  • Prioritizes “big picture”; references classic Monroe-Knicks trade where the star was injured upon arrival, but worked long-term.
  • "Giannis is a thousand trillion billion times better than anybody on the team, including Brunson." (25:50 — Dave)
  • Willing to lose this season if it means pairing Giannis with Brunson, OG, etc., for the future.
• Hahn Rebuts:
  • “It's not as easy to do in season. The Knicks don't have a lot of things other teams have. So they're going to have to get help and Giannis is going to have to help make it happen.” (27:04 — Alan)
• Don questions risk tolerance:
  • “Dave says that now, but say it to me in April...” (28:14 — Don)
• Caller #2 (Kurt): “Championship Window Now” (31:30)
  • Argument: The “window” is open, and the Knicks must strike while they’re close, rather than bank on future health/success.
  • “We can't mess around. The window is now. We need one championship... It's all about windows. We're in this championship window right now.” (32:55 — Kurt)
• Cautionary Takes and Fear of Past Mistakes:
  • Alan points out the risks: salary cap, second apron, roster depletion (34:59).
  • Don: “You just got to be smart about it... Do what's right for your organization.” (35:02)
• Caller #3 (Rodney): Risk of Injury & Need for Giannis to Direct His Own Fate (38:47)
  • Expresses worry about Giannis “pulling a bad guy move” and doubts he’s cut out for NY fan scrutiny.
  • Alan: “I wouldn't worry about all that stuff. That's not something that will follow him here to New York. That's not a worry. It's just the cost and the impact it’ll have right away. And then Don. Two calf strains in one season, one that way won't go away. Him talking about feeling it pop and then he couldn't run. I'm sorry. That's where I start to go. Hang on.” (41:18)
• Caller #4 (Buddha): “Stop Getting Stars at the Back End; Build Young” (44:18)
  • Skeptical of going after older, injured stars: “Now you want to blow it up again. You get Giannis... He's already breaking up...” (45:35)
  • Don and Alan psychoanalyze this mindset as “fearful of winning” and “chase is better than the catch” syndrome.

6. Knicks Fan Psychology & Summing Up (46:07–47:19)

• Alan and Don discuss the “two sides” of Knicks fanbase—those desperate for a move and those paralyzed by potential risk or fear of repeating past failures.
  • “They'd rather be the team on the outside chasing it than to finally get there and maybe get hurt and lose and come up short.” (46:27 — Don)

7. Lighter Moments & Music Talk (35:38–38:30)

• The hosts share a playful detour about classic rock bands (Rainbow), and how their divergent musical tastes represent the balance and chemistry of their show.
  • Alan: “That's why this show works... I'm kind of the guy that brings it all together because I relate to both of you.” (37:12)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• "I actually give New England no chance in the Super Bowl. None chance."
  — Don La Greca (03:07)

• "I've been on top of the Giannis disgruntled in Milwaukee and the Knicks... I feel like we've been on top of this for weeks."
  — Alan Hahn (08:08)

• On Giannis's injury: "I felt like I couldn't explode... At the end when it popped, I had to get out. I couldn't walk."
  — Alan Hahn reading Giannis’s remarks (13:00)

• "I've told everybody, guys, you can get out your NBA trade machine... Yes, it'll work, but to what expense?"
  — Alan Hahn (16:45)

• "If Giannis wants to be a Knick, Giannis has to make that happen. The Knicks don't have the same amount of assets that other teams… have more to offer."
  — Alan Hahn (10:04)

• "The way this deal works is if Giannis works with the Knicks to make it happen."
  — Alan Hahn (31:26)

• "The Knicks have become a destination. He wants to be a Knick, so why am I throwing a season away on just some possibility that Pat Riley is going to pull a rabbit out of his hat?"
  — Don La Greca (30:17)

• "This is really, right now, the biggest moment for Leon Rose in his front office is: What do you do? And only history will tell us whether it was the right decision or not."
  — Alan Hahn (22:14)

• “They'd rather go back in time and chase the ring than maybe actually have a chance to grab the ring.”
  — Don La Greca (46:27)

Key Segment Timestamps

• Football Recap & Intro: 00:17 – 08:03
• Giannis News Unpacked: 08:03 – 19:23
• Trade Mechanics & Fan Anxiety: 19:23 – 22:36
• Fan Callers Start / Heated Debate: 24:38 – 47:19
• Music/Banter/Fan Psychology: 35:38 – 38:30

Takeaway

This episode is a must-listen for Knicks fans torn between all-in aggression and prudent patience at the trade deadline. Don and Alan break down not just the logistics of a potential Giannis deal, but the existential quandaries facing a fanbase desperate for a title yet scarred by decades of near-misses and disappointments. While the risk and allure of a Giannis trade dominate the conversation, the hosts also dig into deeper questions about how to build a winner in New York (and what it means to be a Knicks fan in 2026).