Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lakers
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Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks hug after the Lakers defeated the Bucks.
The current drama surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the Milwaukee Bucks is providing more insight towards his past moments considering a trade. Antetokounmpo was unhappy ahead of his contract ending back in 2020 due to the team falling short of truly contending for an NBA Championship after multiple great regular seasons.
Milwaukee eventually convinced the MVP to sign an extension by trading for Jrue Holiday to pair him with Giannis and Khris Middleton. All three played perfectly together to win the NBA Championship in 2021, but Antetokounmpo’s prior trade interest had some interesting teams involved.
NBA insider Jake Fischer shared that the Dallas Mavericks was a top choice for Antetokounmpo in 2020. Fischer confirmed that Giannis had dreams of pairing up with Luka Doncic to create a dominant duo. Dallas would have been favorited to win multiple NBA titles if they had both Antetokounmpo and Doncic on the roster at that time.
Still Relevant To Giannis’ Story Today
The main rationale of Fischer reporting this rumor from 2020 is that it also involves the Miami Heat. Antetokounmpo looked at the Mavericks and Heat as the two franchises he’d have loved to get traded to if his time in Milwaukee was coming to an end. The Doncic scenario is different today due to Luka now playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
However, Fischer reported that the previous interest in Miami could help them in an upcoming trade:
“Miami — in addition to Dallas with Luka — were the two spots Giannis had his eyes on in 2020. Depending on their ability to trade Rozier, they have various contracts with Wiggins, Herro, and two first-round draft picks.“
Miami is one of the most mentioned teams when it comes to having interest in acquiring Antetokounmpo. The Heat holds young prospects, like Kel’el Ware and Jaime Jaquez, available to offer to a team rebuilding if trading a superstar.
Solid role player contracts would make up the salary and give the Bucks flexibility to make more moves. Giannis’ past interest in Miami could improve their chances of landing him at the trade deadline.
Could Giannis Still Want Luka Duo?
The Lakers are always discussed when it comes to the trade market and potential big names joining the roster. No one expected a move last season when Doncic was traded to Los Angeles from the Mavericks out of the blue. Antetokounmpo and Doncic would be a great tandem, but it seems less realistic today.
Milwaukee wants young players and many draft picks to give themselves a chance at retooling and winning again in the distant future. The Lakers lack young prospects that have the potential to be All-Stars and only have a handful of lottery picks they could offer. Austin Reaves would be the biggest trade asset as an established commodity, but the franchise appears committed to him.
Antetokounmpo heading the Lakers is virtually impossible to forecast unless a lot of wild things happen along the way. Luka’s chance at teaming with Giannis was missed in 2020 when the Mavericks could have made it possible. The Heat and other teams have a much better chance at landing Antetokounmpo in 2025 or 2026.