Report: Kostas Antetokounmpo Away from Lakers Due to Personal Matter; Return TBD

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kostas Antetokounmpo is currently away from the team and attending to a personal matter in his home country of Greece, per Dave McMenamin and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The younger brother of Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has been absent from the Purple and Gold since the start of the playoffs. According to McMenamin and Wojnarowski, Antetokounmpo may return to the Lakers if they advance past their first-round series against the Phoenix Suns.

The 23-year-old, who is signed to a two-way contract, appeared in five games for the Lakers last season and 15 this season.

He averaged 0.8 points and 1.3 rebounds per game in 2020-21 as a bench player who didn't see much of the court.

As for the Lakers, they are now tied at two games apiece with Phoenix after dropping Sunday's Game 4 100-92 and losing the home-court advantage they earned by splitting the first two contests on the road.

LeBron James was solid with 25 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, but the bigger concern than just the game is the health status of Anthony Davis. He suffered a groin injury in the first half and did not play in the second half, which left a frontcourt rotation of Marc Gasol and Andre Drummond to deal with Deandre Ayton and Co.

Game 5 is Tuesday in Phoenix.