Rival GM Confirms Rumors: The Lakers Are Reportedly Targeting ‘The Greek Freak,’ and the Entire NBA Just Went into Panic.
The Houston Rockets, a Western Conference rival of the Los Angeles Lakers, inquired with the Milwaukee Bucks about a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade this offseason, according to Rockets GM Rafael Stone.
In an interview with ESPN Houston radio, Stone confirmed that the Bucks shot him down when he checked with them about trading for the two-time MVP.
“No,” Stone said when asked if the Rockets could land Antetokounmpo via trade ahead of the 2025-26 season. “I deal well with Jon Horst (Bucks GM), I really like him. Jon was very clear that they weren’t doing anything. So, that was that.”
The news comes as bad news not just for the Lakers, but 28 other NBA teams who’ve been angling to trade for the 2021 NBA Finals MVP. Although Antetokounmpo has yet to request a trade officially, ESPN’s Shams Charania has repeatedly maintained that the “Greek Freak” is uncertain about his long-term future in Milwaukee.
Giannis Evaluating Future: Reports
Charania reported in early August that Antetokounmpo and the Bucks had several conversations this offseason about their future beyond the 2025-26 campaign.
“I think he’s still in his process of evaluating, asking himself some hard questions,” Charania told ESPN Milwaukee.
“And the questions I’ve heard since the day of the Myles Turner trade and the Damian Lillard search-and-waive, is can I win another championship in Milwaukee? Can I win with this roster? Not only next season, but in 2026, 2027, because in all likelihood, this roster is pretty much going to be the roster this upcoming year, the year after that.”
“I reported it in mid-May that he’s evaluating whether his best fit is in Milwaukee or is it elsewhere. And that process is continuing. There’s been some very real conversations over the last week or so.”
Lakers Have Big Plans in 2026, 2027
The Lakers could open up more than $60 million in cap space in the 2026 offseason, which they reportedly plan to use to lure either Nikola Jokic or Antetokounmpo to join Luka Doncic, who is signed through the 2028-29 season (player option in 2028).
Both Jokic and Antetokounmpo will become unrestricted free agents in 2027 — unless they sign extensions beforehand. According to ESPN’s insiders, the Lakers will make a run for both superstars with a potential $100 million in cap space in 2027.
“An ideal situation is to parlay the expiring contracts into players who can help now and next season, even if that means having no cap space for the first time since 2019. That would put the Lakers in a position to have close to $100 million in cap space in 2027.
“That is the summer when Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic, Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell and former Lakers big man Davis can become free agents. The lure of playing with Doncic, the Los Angeles market, new ownership and cap space could be a fruitful combination.”
In the meantime, the Lakers have a big decision to make on Austin Reaves, who can become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. Reaves reportedly turned down a four-year, $89.2 million offer this offseason and prefers to be paid $30 million a year.
