Getty Giannis Antetokounmpo next to Anthony Davis.
The Los Angeles Lakers are in win-now mode as LeBron James inches closer towards the end of his career. The superstar turns 37 in December and has dealt with serious injuries in three of his four years with the team. Anthony Davis is only 28-years-old and should be around for a while but outside of him, the future is murky for the Lakers.
Eventually, they will need to figure out how to land a superstar to replace LeBron. There should be options available to the team but it’s not likely to happen via trade anytime soon. The team has given up most of its tradable assets to land Davis and Russell Westbrook in recent years. If the Lakers hope to find a superstar in the future, it will likely have to be through free agency.
Luckily, arguably the best player in the NBA could be available to the team in a couple of years. Two-time league MVP and last season’s NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is entrenched with the Milwaukee Bucks for now, but he may have just opened the door for a future move. Speaking with Zach Baron of GQ, Giannis was honest about the fact that he’s not tied down to one place.
“One challenge was to bring a championship here and we did,” Giannis told Baron. “It was very hard, but we did. Very, very hard. I just love challenges. What’s the next challenge? The next challenge might not be here.”
He wasn’t done there.
“Me and my family chose to stay in this city that we all love and has taken care of us—for now,” Giannis said. “In two years, that might change. I’m being totally honest with you. I’m always honest. I love this city. I love this community. I want to help as much as possible.”
Obviously, Giannis isn’t wanting out of Milwaukee yet but his comments are certainly notable as he made it clear that it was a possibility.
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Would Lakers Provide Giannis the Challenge He’s Looking For?
GettyLeBron James with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
There is perhaps no bigger challenge in the NBA than being the best player on the Lakers. They are the most popular team in the league and have been one of the most successful franchises in sports history. There are massive expectations for any star player that joins the team. Giannis has never been interested in joining a superteam but what if the Lakers don’t have a superteam in a couple of years?
Westbrook has an injury history and is 33-years-old while LeBron can’t keep playing at the level he has been for much longer. Los Angeles could be in for a rude awakening in a few years. If that ends up being the case, Giannis could be intrigued by the challenge of turning around the most popular team in the NBA.
Hard to See Giannis Actually Leave Milwaukee
In an era where superstars have been eager to move from team to team, Giannis remains loyal to the team that drafted him. That loyalty paid off as he won his first championship last season. He’s now proven he can win a championship without a superteam and it’s hard to see him changing his mindset now. While Giannis is keeping the door open, it’s unlikely he actually ever leaves the Bucks.
The only way he’ll truly consider leaving is if the team doesn’t surround him with enough talent to continue winning. Even the most loyal of players have a limit.
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Lakers Rumors: Giannis Hints That He Could Leave Bucks in Future