ESPN insider just said quiet part out loud about Giannis — and Lakers better listen

Giannis Antetokounmpo is a hot topic again, and it entirely of his own doing. Brian Windhorst pointed out the exact verbiage used by the Milwaukee Bucks superstar in a recent statement was incredibly telling of where his mind is regarding his NBA future.

Antetokounmpo said he believed in the Bucks and was ready to lead his team. However, Giannis also mentioned that it would only be human if in about six or seven months his mind changes on the matter. It was the exactness of the timeframe that caught the attention of the ESPN insider.

Windhorst said, "He said six or seven months. He didn't just pull that number out of thin air. He thought very carefully about how long it was until the end of the season. What he basically said there is, 'I'm going to give it another evaluation at the end of the season."

The ESPN personality called Giannis' situation in Milwaukee 'short-term.' Windhorst believed a weak Eastern Conference was a motivating factor for Antetokounmpo leaving the door open. However, the closing thought from the insider was that the Los Angeles Lakers, like all other interested parties, should be preparing for the end of his tenure in Milwaukee.

Lakers can’t ignore the reality of Giannis Antetokounmpo saga

Antetokounmpo would offer the quickest solution to the Lakers' problem of trying to balance a competitive present with Luka Doncic, and building a future for their new superstar too. However, the timing is everything here.

If the expected window of opportunity for all 29 teams in the NBA will be the upcoming offseason, that would mean the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes would be a trade battle. That does not bode well for the Lakers.

Rob Pelinka could certainly hand Austin Reaves a lucrative new contract and try to pivot that sign-and-trade as a part of the package for the Bucks superstar. However, even then, the Lakers' potential offer would still be questionable in its quality compared to their rivals.

The best bet for Los Angeles would be Antetokounmpo hitting free agency in 2027. However, that does not appear to be the timeline here.

On top of those factors, the Lakers have to consider some of the other recent reports that have surfaced. Mainly, the one that should concern them would be Shams Charania telling the world that the New York Knicks were clearly the top option for Antetokounmpo.

All of this is to say: the Lakers have two options here. They either starting gearing up now for a superstar sweepstakes in 2026, or they start figuring out their fallback plans immediately.