Even amid last year's injury troubles, it is tough to rank Giannis Antetokounmpo as much worse than a top-five player in the NBA. When a talent as elite as that is available on the trade market, it causes a reasonable standstill. Teams hold tight to assets and business slows down across the NBA.
The earlier expectation of this offseason was that Giannis would be moved before the NBA Draft. That would position the Milwaukee Bucks with an extra first-round pick to utilize in the process and allow the rest of the league to move on. That may not be the case anymore.
"From what I’m hearing this could drag on into free agency. This could drag on until July," NBA insider Chris Haynes stated during an appearance on Sirius XM Radio.
Haynes added that the Bucks are not operating as if the NBA Draft is the deadline to move Antetokounmpo, something that other previous estimations had projected. There was still a belief that Giannis would be moved this summer, but the confidence in things being done before the draft is fading.
For the Los Angeles Lakers, this should be the last thing they want to hear. They need the league to move on from Antetokounmpo so they can do their business with comfort.
The longer Giannis Antetokounmpo stays put, the harder it is for the Lakers to do business
The teams routinely connected to Antetokounmpo have been the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics. Some Lakers fans may wonder how that would impact their team in trying to make trades this summer.
For starters, the Heat do have a player like Andrew Wiggins who could be of interest for Los Angeles, but it goes beyond just Miami not looking for other moves until Giannis is in South Beach. As long as negotiations around Antetokounmpo continue, there will inevitably be other teams looking to get in on the fun and get something out of that deal for themselves.
For example, if the Celtics are trading Jaylen Brown to the Bucks, suddenly a third team should be expected to come in and take the former Finals MVP in a reroute. There could even be a fourth team jumping in to absorb other salaries for pick capital, or even pursue another player on the move in that deal.
As long as other franchises are eyeing up that trade as something they can benefit from, it makes Rob Pelinka's phone calls much more difficult.
It will not be totally impossible for the Lakers to act while Antetokounmpo remains with the Bucks. The NBA will not completely be inactive for just one man. However, things will be easier once that deal is complete.
The Lakers' goal is to build a championship team around Luka Doncic this summer. Every additional path available to them will aid the cause. More of those will open up once Giannis has his new home.
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