Lakers Rumors: Jason Kidd was hired to recruit Giannis Antetokounmpo

Recent Los Angeles Lakers rumors involve new assistant coach Jason Kidd, who reportedly was hired to help recruit players, namely Giannis Antetokounpo.

There have been plenty of Los Angeles Lakers rumors in recent weeks. With the head coaching search over and the front office situation settled, for now, attention has been turned back to building the roster.

Los Angeles has the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, courtesy of getting lucky during the NBA Draft Lottery. In addition, they have a max salary slot available to use in free agency.

There are a number of different directions the Lakers could go to upgrade their roster. Fans are hopeful that the one-year deals to save cap space flexibility are a thing of the past, as that strategy has not panned out too well in recent seasons on the court. However, recent Lakers rumors give some potential insight into future free agency decisions.

One of the most talked about additions to the Lakers’ this offseason was Jason Kidd. He interviewed for the head coaching job and despite not getting the job, left a lasting impression on the organization.

As a result, the team wanted Kidd on the coaching staff as an assistant. Tyronn Lue balked at that, along with other things, and turned down the Lakers job offer. Frank Vogel accepted the terms Lou refused and is now the head coach.

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The addition of Kidd as an assistant is something that has been discussed extensively. There are some people that believe Vogel and Kidd give the team hope going forward. If Kidd is able to accomplish what some rumored he was hired to do, that hope would come to fruition.

According to Steve Popper of Newsday, a reason the Lakers brought Kidd onboard was for his ability to recruit players. One player specifically named was Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Greek Freak could be a free agent in two years and would become a sought after commodity for every team in the NBA if he hit free agency. Kidd coached Antetokoumpo for three and a half seasons, but there is plenty of debate about whether the two actually got along.

Giannis became an All-Star under Kidd’s watch, but there have been rumors about how restrictive Kidd was about what Antetokounmpo could do on the court.  Under Mike Budenholzer, the sixth year forward has blossomed even further, joining the MVP discussion.

There is also the question of if Giannis would even want to leave the Bucks. Milwaukee is two wins away from the NBA Finals, making the playoffs for three consecutive seasons and looking like one of the best teams not only in the Eastern Conference but the NBA.

This rumor seems farfetched to believe, to say the least. It is an interesting idea, but there is a lot standing in the way of this reunion coming to fruition. Giannis could sign a record-breaking deal with the Bucks based on the supermax projections.

In addition to all of that money, it has also been reported that the Golden State Warriors have already had internal discussions about pursuing him in 2021. The final nail in this coffin is The Greek Freak himself, who has said he cannot see himself playing in Los Angeles.

The Lakers would be better off making decisions to help the team now instead of making plans for two years down the road. This upcoming offseason will be an extremely important one for Los Angeles. They need to nail this one, or they won’t be in a position to attract any good free agents by 2021, let alone players of Antetokounmpo’s stature.