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The path to Giannis Antetokounmpo joining the Los Angeles Lakers

By Daniel Preciado

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 04: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks on the court during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at the Field House at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 04, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 04: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks on the court during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at the Field House at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 04, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

Rob Pelinka has already laid the foundation for the Los Angeles Lakers

It is no coincidence that the Los Angeles Lakers signed all their role players to two-year deals in what has been called ‘The Summer of Anthony Davis‘. The front office is fully prepared to deliver a devastating blow to the rest of the league at the conclusion of next season.

The Lakers are currently maxed out in regards to the cap with the big earners being LeBron James ($37.4 million), Anthony Davis ($27.1 million), and Danny Green ($14.6 million). The current NBA salary cap is $109 million, but current projections have it at $125 million for the 2021-2022 season when Giannis will hit the open market. Only time will tell if COVID-19 has any effect on that number.

For the sake of this exercise, let’s use $125 million for our number. LeBron will be under contract for $40 million. That’s a hefty number that already absorbs roughly one-third of the cap space.

Say Anthony Davis signs his max deal this off-season in Los Angeles. It would be in the neighborhood of $40 million per season. There goes another third of the space. Giannis can take the additional third, but there’s a chance that with a $125 million cap number, his contract would not fit under the cap.

The idea of AD and LeBron taking small pay cuts makes this work. The Lakers could theoretically fill their roster with ring chasers and would still have their MLE slot for the 2021-2022 season.

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