Latest Giannis Trade Rumors on Lakers and Knicks' Potential Pursuit amid Contract Buzz
Almost every team in the league would certainly want a player of Giannis Antetokounmpo's caliber as the Milwaukee Bucks look to potentially trade him this offseason, but the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks may need the future Hall of Famer to get involved in picking out his destination if they are going to be the clubs to land him.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported on the situation during Monday's episode of Get Up and explained that Los Angeles and New York could make offers even if they won't include as much as those from other suitors.
"So, he's got two years on his contract," Windhorst said. "That means he doesn't have to work with the Bucks. A team that traded for him would know that would have him for two years, but it would be better for all parties if the Bucks worked with Giannis and then there would be a contract extension put in place when he was traded. If a team which was trading for him knew they were going to have him basically for the rest of his prime, their offer would increase.
"And I'll tell you about Milwaukee is this, Milwaukee does not control their draft for the next five years. That means if you're going to the trade machine and you're putting together a package of draft picks where Milwaukee is going to stink for the next three years, that's not attractive to them. They don't control their draft picks. They need players back. They would also like draft picks for Giannis, and by the way, if you're gonna offer a draft pick for Giannis and you're giving him and creating a super team, the Bucks aren't going to be excited about getting your draft picks for the next few years.
"So ideally, the Bucks want players, and they're going to want other teams' picks. There are several teams who have this exact package, including San Antonio, Houston, and Brooklyn.
"That's one of the reasons why you say that. Now, because a lot of people are going to wonder about the Lakers, could the Lakers make an offer? Yes. Could Giannis come in and say, 'I am going nowhere but the Lakers?' Yes. And if that happens, that would increase it. But I don't think the Lakers or the Knicks could make an offer that's in the top five or six. But because Giannis potentially has agency in this, then you would say that his words would matter a lot."
Windhorst's report could be good news for the Lakers and Knicks because it would be surprising if Milwaukee didn't involve Antetokounmpo in potential trade discussions.
After all, he has shown plenty of loyalty during his career while signing maximum extensions in 2020 and 2023. He is a franchise icon who led the Bucks to the 2021 NBA title as the Finals MVP.
He also has two league MVPs, a Defensive Player of the Year, eight All-NBA selections, five All-Defensive selections and nine All-Star Game nods on his list of accomplishments, and the team will surely want to maintain a positive relationship with he and his representatives moving forward even if it does move him.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported Monday those representatives, Giorgios Panou and Alex Saratsis, plan to meet with the Bucks this offseason to discuss Antetokounmpo's future.
"For the first time in his career, Antetokounmpo is open-minded about exploring whether his best long-term fit is remaining in Milwaukee or playing elsewhere," Charania reported while notably adding that any such discussions "start primarily with where he believes his long-term future lies, and whether there is a franchise outside of Milwaukee that is sensible for him."
That sounds like a situation where the team will involve said star player, especially if there is a potential landing spot that is more intriguing to him than others.
Joining the Lakers or Knicks would mean playing under the spotlight of major markets for major brands after spending the entirety of his career in Milwaukee at this point. It would also mean joining teams that seem ready to compete for championships in the immediate future.
A Lakers trio of LeBron James, Luka Dončić and Antetokounmpo would be daunting to say the least for Western Conference opponents. What's more, a trio of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and Antetokounmpo would represent a similarly imposing group for Eastern Conference foes.
Those situations would likely be better for the future Hall of Famer in terms of championship pursuit than staying with the Bucks as well considering Damian Lillard could miss the entire upcoming season because of a torn Achilles.
Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis (player option), Taurean Prince, Kevin Porter Jr. (player option), Pat Connaughton (player option) and Gary Trent Jr. could also all depart in free agency, which would leave the Bucks behind other Eastern Conference contenders even if Antetokounmpo decided he wanted to stay.
Given that reality, a trade may be the best option moving forward for all involved as difficult as it would be for the Bucks to part ways with their franchise cornerstone.
