The NBA trade deadline has already delivered blockbuster movement, but the league’s biggest domino may still be standing – Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Bucks superstar continues to headline speculation, and while a midseason deal appears unlikely, the Lakers are quietly emerging as a legitimate offseason contender for the former MVP.
Milwaukee are struggling in 2025-26 and it has only fueled further debate about Antetokounmpo and his long-term future.
With the Bucks struggling to remain competitive, multiple teams have begun constructing potential trade offers in hopes of landing one of the league’s most dominant forces.
However, the timing of any move could be critical, especially with the Lakers expected to gain more flexibility after the season.
“No one is talking about the Lakers as a factor in The Giannis Sweepstakes right now because they’re not a factor if a trade is going to happen by week’s end,” Marc Stein said.
“They don’t have enough tradeable assets to join the in-season bidders.
“But if the Bucks do ultimately decide to take this saga into that spring …
“The Lakers, league sources say, would then indeed become a very viable threat to land No. 34.
“There is little choice for the Lakers, heading into Thursday’s deadline, except to stay patient and avoid deals that involve any long-term salary to maintain maximum flexibility for the spring. The hope for the purple-and-gold would then be to use their considerable projected salary cap space to be able to take in a contract like Antetokounmpo’s via trade — or another expensive star if one shakes loose post-playoffs — to pair with backcourt cornerstones Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves (who returned to action Tuesday night in Brooklyn after a 19-game injury absence). And dealing with the Lakers in such a scenario would almost certainly spare the Bucks from getting saddled with unwanted contracts.”
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