The Lakers are weighing whether their available players and draft picks are enough to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. This pursuit faces serious challenges that could define the team’s future.The
Lakers are set to have significant trade flexibility, with three first-round picks available to trade, along with three pick swaps available in the 2026 offseason. They also have $51M in projected cap space. That gives them more flexibility than they had at the trade deadline, when reports suggested their package options were extremely limited.
Austin Reaves is one of the most valuable trade assets for the Los Angeles Lakers and the main piece in any deal for a star. After becoming a top starter, he is expected to earn much more money in the 2026 offseason. Reports say he will decline his player option to pursue a new contract worth between 30 and 40 million dollars per year.
Dalton Knecht has also developed into an essential piece for the team, often included in trade scenarios due to his scoring upside and solid rookie performance.
The financial side of an Antetokounmpo trade would be difficult for Los Angeles to solve.
Antetokounmpo is set to earn $58,456,566 for the 2026-27 season with the Bucks, meaning the Lakers would need to combine several contracts together under NBA salary-matching rules.
Players such as Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, and other mid-sized contracts would likely need to be included to make the money work legally. The Lakers cannot realistically build a deal around only one contract unless another superstar becomes involved.
The bigger issue may be market competition.
Reports continue to indicate the Milwaukee Bucks would want either elite young talent or a massive collection of draft assets in return for Giannis. Teams like Oklahoma City, Houston, and San Antonio can currently offer deeper draft capital than Los Angeles.
This could force the Lakers to use a multi-team trade to acquire more picks or young players from Milwaukee while managing their own salary cap. Even so, the team would likely need to offer almost every valuable asset they have to stay in the race for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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