The Los Angeles Lakers — and the entire NBA really — have been eerily quiet in the lead-up to the NBA trade deadline. The popular rationale to justify such inaction has been to avoid moves that would hinder a potential pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo. That approach is becoming more defensible by the day.
Zach Lowe and other NBA insiders have all hinted that teams like the Lakers are holding steady in hopes of passing up good moves now for a great move later. Landing the Milwaukee Bucks superstar in a trade would quickly revamp any franchise in the mix for his services.
Plus, listening to just how miserable Antetokounmpo sounded after a disappointing 122-102 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday would give any team the impression of Giannis being fed up in Milwaukee. His postgame comments were short, harsh, and to the point.
Antetokounmpo said, "We're not playing hard. We're not doing the right thing. We're not playing to win. We're not playing together. Our chemistry is not there. Guys are being selfish. Guys are trying to look for their own shots instead of looking for the right shot for the team. Guys try to do it on their own."
Giannis sounded frustrated enough to give suitors like the Lakers real hope
These are exactly the type of comments that offer real optimism about Giannis relocating in the near future. Does it happen before the Feb. 5 deadline? Probably not.
From the Bucks' perspective, there has not been much to suggest a willingness to move on from Antetokounmpo. If they were going to finally pull the trigger on a trade sweepstakes for the two-time MVP, allowing it to take place in the summer would give them an opportunity for a real bidding war, instead of one that gets hastily thrown together before the deadline.
For Giannis, forcing the Bucks to cave on keeping him in Milwaukee can be as easy as turning down an extension in the summer. At that point, a trade request is mostly unnecessary. Anyone could read the writing on the wall from there.
Acquiring Antetokounmpo would allow the Lakers to finally put an end to this awkward juggling act of the Luka Doncic timeline and the LeBron James timeline. The potential move would prioritize the Doncic era beyond any doubt.
Does it still leave the Lakers in a weird holding pattern until then? Absolutely. Would you blame them for taking a shot in these circumstances, even if it is an imperfect one? Absolutely not.