Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade, Lakers, giannis trade to lakers
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Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers is defended by Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half of a game at Fiserv Forum on March 13, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
All signs point to the Milwaukee Bucks pulling the trigger on a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade either during or after the 2026 NBA Draft. This is a critical development for the Los Angeles Lakers, who will be armed with up to three tradeable first-round picks over the offseason, including their 2026 pick.
If the Bucks choose to deal Antetokounmpo before the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline, the Lakers would have had only one first-rounder to offer in a deal, which essentially puts them out of contention. However, insider Jake Fischer reported over the weekend that a deal will likely go down around the June 24 timeline of NBA Draft Day.
“Said one league source particularly well-versed in Bucks matters: ‘This is shaping up to be a draft-day kind of thing.’ Said another: ‘It’s happening.’ Meaning a trade in conjunction with the draft if not now,” Fischer wrote in his Substack.
Expected Giannis Trade Timeline
The insider further explained why it’s beneficial for the Bucks to delay a trade until the summer, allowing teams to stockpile draft assets and make their best possible offers.
“Waiting until after the NBA’s lottery drawing in May to truly launch into the process of parting with their Face of the Franchise via trade would at least enable the Bucks to know exactly what potential trade partners can offer in terms of 2026 draft capital.”
Insider Marc Stein also noted Sunday that there’s increasing chatter that a Giannis trade would occur around the NBA Draft, not the trade deadline. However, he added that teams haven’t stopped calling the Bucks in the lead-up to the Feb. 5 deadline.
“One of my most consistently clutch sources passed along Sunday that multiple teams continue to try to engage the Bucks on a Giannis deal that they would like to consummate before the Feb. 5 deadline …. even though Antetokounmpo himself says he will be sidelined for at least four-to-six weeks by his latest calf injury incurred Friday night,” Stein wrote in his “The Stein Line” Substack.
The Austin Reaves Factor
The Lakers have only Luka Doncic, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia and rookie Adou Thiero under guaranteed contracts entering the 2026-27 season, and have the ability to open up more than $60M in cap space. The Lakers are widely expected to use a portion of that cap space to re-sign impending free agent Austin Reaves, who has repeatedly expressed his desire to stay in Los Angeles.
However, if Reaves is open to the idea of a move to Milwaukee, the Lakers could potentially execute a sign-and-trade deal along with their three tradeable first-round picks to pull off a Giannis trade. Reaves, a blossoming superstar, could be the exact type of piece that the Bucks could covet in the post-Giannis era.
Reaves is expected to command interest from teams such as the San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz, with the latter reportedly willing to make him “a big offer” in free agency. The Lakers, who own his full Bird Rights, can offer him a five-year, $241M max contract, while the Jazz and other suitors can offer a four-year, $178.5M deal.
Ultimately, the Reaves factor could help the Lakers pull off a Giannis trade, even moreso than the three first-round picks.