The Los Angeles Lakers seem to have a knack for landing superstar talent, and most recently, they’ve been rumored to be near the top of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes.
A trade for Antetokounmpo would have to include Austin Reaves and a ton of assets that would be sent back to the Milwaukee Bucks for the 2021 Finals MVP, but even having the chance at pairing him with franchise star Luka Doncic is impossible not to entertain.
However, their hopes for Antetokounmpo could be crashing down, according to the latest trade update on the Bucks’ all-time leading scorer.
In a recent interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic, Antetokounmpo stated that he would never ask to be traded from Milwaukee, effectively ruling out the Lakers’ pursuit of the star.
“There will never be a chance, and there will never be a moment, that I will come out and say ‘I want a trade,’” Antetokounmpo said to Amick. “That’s not … in … my … nature. OK?”
“There will never be a chance, and there will never be a moment, that I will come out and say ‘I want a trade.’ That’s not … in … my … nature. OK? … I am invested in this team.”
(H/t @ClutchPoints , via @sam_amick,
Shams Charania of ESPN has reported multiple times over the past few months that Antetokounmpo was at least mulling over his future with the Bucks, and while it is certainly possible that the front office could trade him on their own, he won’t be asking or demanding a trade for himself.
Lakers Get Bad News On Giannis Trade Rumors
Speaking with Amick, Antetokounmpo made it clear that he won’t do what so many other NBA stars have done in the past and demand their way out of their current situation. Antetokounmpo did hint that this current Bucks team isn’t capable of winning a championship, but at the same time, he said that doesn’t mean he’s ready to give up on the franchise anytime soon.
“Not one time have I shown that I’m not invested in this team,” Antetokounmpo said. “I am not (going anywhere). I am invested in this team. I want to turn this team around…I’m locked the [expletive] in.”
The Lakers, along with the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, and a few other teams, were previously in the mix for Antetokounmpo. But now, those hopes seem foiled with his latest comments.
However, as he has said in the past, Antetokounmpo added that things could change at any given point, and his thoughts on never asking for a trade and wanting to stay in Milwaukee remain his perspective for the time being.
“Today, our relationship is great. Tomorrow it might be different,” he said. “Today, me and (Bucks general manager) Jon (Horst) have a good relationship. Tomorrow, (Horst) might think there’s something else out there, and he might have to do whatever he has to do. You know, for me, right now, today, I am committed.”
Despite Rob Pelinka’s hopes of adding top-tier talent to pair with Doncic, at least for the time being, Antetokounmpo shouldn’t be included in that future. However, as the star himself said, that could change, and just like how nobody seemed to know Doncic was available for a trade, he could once again pull a rabbit out of a hat to make another one of the biggest trade deadline deals in NBA history.
Updated Lakers Trade Rumors
Los Angeles landing Antetokounmpo always felt like somewhat of a long shot, but with his latest comments, the chances of adding the two-time regular-season MVP seem even more out of reach.
At the same time, the Lakers have also been hit with some brutal news as it relates to one of their other top trade targets. According to Brett Siegel, the asking price for Trey Murphy of the New Orleans Pelicans is at least two first-round picks, which the team doesn’t have at their disposal.
Despite Murphy dropping a career-high 42 points against the Lakers the other night, he might be a bit too rich for what Pelinka and the front office could give up.
However, another Lakers trade candidate could still be on the table, a player that would have a much lower asking price than the team would almost certainly be willing to pay. In a recent article by ESPN, Zach Kram offered up a mock trade that sees the Los Angeles adding an underutilized player from the Kings that they’ve reportedly had their eyes on for a while.
Los Angeles Lakers get: Keon Ellis
Sacramento Kings get: Dalton Knecht, and a 2032 second-round pick
With Knecht spending time in the G-League, it’s hard to see Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick being hard-pressed not to give him up for Ellis. That, along with the fact that they already tried to trade him in the past, makes a deal like this very much possible in the next month before the 2026 NBA trade deadline.
“Ellis is a natural fit for the Lakers, who rank 23rd in defensive rating and an even worse 29th since the start of December,” Kram wrote. “His 3-point shot has regressed this season (35.5%, versus 42.9% in his career prior), but that lack of offensive oomph is precisely why the hard-nosed defender might be attainable in a small-scale deal like this.”
As the days go on, the Lakers keep getting bad news on their top trade targets, and might have to shift into looking at role players to help their current roster, which, despite the star power, has issues across the board.
Lakers Hit With Devastating News On Latest Giannis Trade Rumors