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The Los Angeles Lakers could be one step closer to adding Giannis Antetokounmpo based on trade rumors, while LeBron James' future is bleak.
The Los Angeles Lakers will always have their eyes set on the biggest prize, whether that player hasbeen named in trade rumors or not.
Currently, that player is Giannis Antetokounmpo, and likepretty much everysingle team in the NBA, the Lakers are hoping the Greek Freak becomes available in a trade so they can pair him with Luka Doncic. While Los Angeles hasbeen linked to several wing players amid this current trade cycle, Antetokounmpo remains the grand prize, and based on new reports, the reality of him heading to the West Coast could be closer than ever.
According to Shams Charania, the relationship between Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks is starting to crumble, and according toa number of other insiders, teams are waiting and watching to see how the situationplays out.
MrBuckBuck
Shams Charania: “The tension within the Milwaukee Bucks organization and the locker room is at an “all-time high.” Giannis Antetokounmpo is frustrated with the losing and the overall situation.”
“The frustration that Giannis Antetokounmpo has is at an all-time high,”Charania said on The Pat McAfee Show. “He’s frustrated with the losing.He’s frustrated with the situation, and I will say this,I’ve spoken to about a dozen sources on-and-off for weeks now, and the tensionthat’s in the air within that organization, in that locker room,it’s at an all-time high.”
Lakers Get Good News On Latest Giannis Trade Rumors
Though the idea of both the player and team breaking upisn’t new, trade rumors surrounding the 2021 Finals MVP have ramped up significantly over the past few days after he previously said he had no plans of asking for a trade.
The team is losing, theydon’t have a bright future. Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are at a standstill over who will budge first, and finally state the obvious: that both would probably benefit from a breakup.
“But whatI’ve been hearing over and over for months now is that the writing is on the wall for Giannis and the Bucks,”Charania added. “The only difference with what was going on in the summer and right now isit’s all happening ineveryone’s public domain, because there are games tobe played.”
Waiting for something to happen in the shadows is the Lakers, who are no strangers to blockbuster trades.A package surrounding Austin Reavesand as many other players and picks asthey can move would be thelikely return for Milwaukee, if LeBron Jamesisn’t included as well.
They might not have the best trade offer for the Bucks, depending on howhigh they value Reaves, but if the Lakers are where Antetokounmpo wants to go, considering all hedid for his current franchise,it’s hard to see them not sending him to his preferred location.
Los Angeles, like the Golden State Warriors, is a team tokeep an eye on regarding an Antetokounmpo trade. Whileit was previously thought that a deal, if it were to occur,wouldn’t happen until the offseason, now, a trade in the next two weeks before the deadline feels almost inevitable.
LeBron JamesLakers’ Future Crumbling
Aside from Antetokounmpo, there is James, who, as the days go on, feels more and more like his time with the Lakers is coming to an end. Along with the reports from Baxter Holmes of ESPN on his speculated relationship with owner Jeanie Buss, the rumors onJames’ time in the Purple and Gold appear to be coming to an end, much like the superstar back in Milwaukee.
In the same Pat McAfee appearancein which he shed light onAntetokounmpo’s future, Charaniagave valuable insightsas to whatJames’ next few months will look like in Los Angeles. Along with the fact that he picked up his player option for this year andis set to become a free agent this summer, Charania confirmed what many had already thought.
“The reality of what we have right here is the end of a relationship in terms of LeBron James and the Lakers,”Charania said,per ESPN.com. “Whether that comes at the end of this season if LeBron James decides as a free agent to sign somewhere else or he decides to retire or he decides to come back for one more year and decide he wants to retire as a Laker…The end is near however you wanna slice it.”
While there have been constant rumorsofJames eitherretiring orleaving the Lakers after this season, the report from Charania paints a clear picture ofhow things are now and howthey could very well end.
Los Angeles has made it clear that Doncic is the future of the franchise, and whether itbe Baxter’s reporting onBuss’ relationship with James,or another internal or external issue,him being a Laker next year looks to be off the table.
ClutchPoints
Reporter: “How do you think your collaboration has been with Jeanie Buss?”
LeBron James: “What do you mean collaboration?”
Reporter: “Just the partnership.”
LeBron: “I thought it was good. But somebody could see it another way. So it’s always two sides to the coin. At the end
If he does leave, that would make the idea of the Lakers trading for Antetokounmpo a lot simpler, butthat all remains to be played out just yet.