The Los Angeles Lakers‘ top offseason priority is to look for Luka Dončić‘s perfect lob partner this offseason.
Bleacher Report’s salary cap expert Eric Pincus named Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo as the Lakers’ potential top trade target.
“The Lakers already landed a dream target in Luka Dončić, but the franchise is greedy. If Antetokounmpo demands out, a combination of salaries, talent and picks could get him to Los Angeles. It’s a stretch, but it’d be remiss to leave him out if this is a team’s wish list,” Pincus wrote.
The Lakers will have to be creative if Antetokounmpo becomes available, which is contingent on how the Bucks’ season ends. They are low on draft capital, but it’s hard to bet against Rob Pelinka and his front office after they shocked everyone with the Dončić blockbuster trade.
Lakers’ Other Options
Their primary trade baits, according to Pincus, are Dalton Knecht, Maxi Kleber, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent, Jared Vanderbilt, Shake Milton.
If they are to pursue Antetokounmpo, maybe they can flip Reaves into more draft capital to send Milwaukee’s way if the Bucks tear it down and go full rebuild.
“Otherwise, LA is less likely to send out key players like Reaves, Hachimura, etc. Instead, look for the franchise to target a center with Knecht as bait—similar to the failed Mark Williams deal with the Charlotte Hornets (the Lakers didn’t clear Williams’ physical),” Pincus wrote.
Pincus mentioned Utah’s Walker Kessler and Dončić’s former Mavericks lob partner Daniel Gafford as alternatives if Antetokounmpo does not become available.
Giannis’ Reaction to Luka Trade
Antetokounmpo was one of the many people who thought that the Luka trade was fake news. But after processing it, the thing he realized is no one is untouchable in this league.
“And at the same time, I understand the business of basketball, that sometimes teams need to make the best moves that are good for their organization and for their position and for their own pursuit of greatness and championships,” Antetokounmpo told reporters in the aftermath of the most shocking trade in NBA history. “But at the same time, it goes both ways. You cannot have a double standard here. When the teams make the best moves for them and they believe they can get another player to win now.
“When a player believes that he can go to a different team, and he believes that he can have the chance to win a championship, we cannot crucify the person and say that he’s not loyal and he didn’t do the right thing and he let everybody down because the history has showed you that you have to do what’s best for you and your family and you have to do what’s best, what’s most important to win.”
After a 2-8 start, the Bucks have bounced back strong and are currently positioned to make the playoffs outright thanks to Antetokounmpo having an MVP-type of season.
The 30-year-old Greek star is averaging 30.5 points, 12.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.2 blocks for the Bucks, who are tied with the Indiana Pacers for the fourth seed in the East with identical 37-28 record entering Saturday’s games.
