NBA Insider Wonders if Potential Giannis Trade is Reason for Lakers' Quiet Free Agency
The Athletic's John Hollinger believes it is "fair to wonder" if the Los Angeles Lakers might be staying quiet in free agency in order to be ready for the Milwaukee Bucks potentially making Giannis Antetokounmpo available.
"It’s fair to wonder if part of the Lakers’ reticence to push in harder around their current roster is because they think they can be a landing spot for the Bucks’ superstar if he demands a ticket out of Milwaukee," Hollinger wrote on Tuesday.
Hollinger noted that the same question could apply to other teams with limited free agency movement so far including the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors.
Although ESPN's Shams Charania reported in May that Antetokounmpo was "open-minded" about considering a move to another team, and reiterated on Monday that he believes that report is still accurate, the Bucks star has reportedly not requested or pushed for a trade out of Milwaukee.
ESPN's Bobby Marks meanwhile reported in June that the Bucks would be "aggressively exploring options in free agency and trades to complement Antetokounmpo" in an attempt to keep their superstar happy next season despite the temporary loss of Damian Lillard to an Achilles injury.
Any Lakers move for Antetokounmpo would also be limited by the team's draft stock. The Lakers hold six first-round picks in the next seven years, but have just one tradable selection in 2031.
Given that Bucks would be starting a rebuild by moving on from Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee may look for another team with more first-rounders available to move in a trade should they look to recoup the largest possible return in a theoretical trade for their star.
The most realistic path to get Antetokounmpo to Los Angeles might involve the Bucks star specifically requesting a trade to join LeBron James and Luka Dončić.
James exercised his $52.6 million player option on Sunday, his agent Rich Paul told Charania, a move that was followed by Dorian Finney-Smith declining his own option and the signing of Jake LaRavia. Those moves left the Lakers with $182 million in projected salary, below the $187.8 million tax threshold, per Marks.
Whether or not the Lakers are waiting for a potential push for Antetokounmpo, the team may decide to use that room to add a center this offseason.
