The Luka Doncic era in Los Angeles (Lakers) will begin soon.
LeBron James still has juice left in the tank, but doesn’t possess the same career outlook he did when he signed with the Lakers in 2018, leaving Los Angeles no choice but to prepare a Doncic-led future.
While the 2027 free agency period is two years away, a Lakers writer has identified the perfect superstar teammate for Doncic.
“(Giannis) Antetokounmpo has one more guaranteed year left on his contract after this season,” Lake Show Life’s Svyatoslav Rovenchuk wrote Wednesday.
“A player option for 2027-28 would allow him to explore free agency in 2027. It remains quite telling that no extension has been signed just yet.”
“Should these last few years play out in Milwaukee, and Giannis somehow ends up as a free agent in 2027, the Lakers will be waiting. Offering him a spot beside Luka Doncic will be a strong sell to a player who wants to win in the NBA.”
Antetokounmpo is unquestionably a realistic target for the Lakers. The Bucks have hit a wall since winning a title in 2021, which hasn’t sat well with the superhuman 6-foot-11 forward.
With the Lakers on the rise and having legitimate championship aspirations with Doncic filling the organization’s massive point guard void, Antetokounmpo would be foolish not to have interest in taking his talents to Los Angeles.
More importantly, Antetokounmpo respects everything Doncic brings to the NBA, evidenced by his flattering comments about the former Dallas Mavericks star after his blockbuster trade to the Lakers in February.
“I thought it was fake news,” Doncic told reporters after the deal was finalized. "It's insane. “If a five-time All-NBA first-team, a 25-year-old, a guy that just made it to the Finals seven months ago, a guy that led the league in scoring, I can keep going, but I'm not here to talk about Luka and how good he is, I think everybody in the world knows he's one of the best players in the league.”
It’s reasonable to assume the league would be in shambles if Antetokounmpo and Doncic teamed in Los Angeles while still in their primes, making a future free agent signing riveting to imagine.
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