"They aren't trading him in-season," a West scout told Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
That's right. The drawn-out Giannis Antetokounmpo trade drama is not expected to have a resolution during the 2025-26 season, according to the two ESPN insiders above. For the Los Angeles Lakers, that may actually be a positive development.
The Milwaukee Bucks still want to make this work. That is what all the rumor mills and intel continue to reveal to all those paying attention. Even if the writing is on the wall, and it has been for a while, the Bucks refuse to give up.
The Lakers have never been the most realistic landing spot for the two-time NBA MVP. However, their odds of acquiring the dominant frontcourt force would greatly improve with a summer saga involving Antetokounmpo. There are a few reasons for that being the case.
Antetokounmpo’s growing leverage could give Lakers’ trade confidence a boost
If this situation stalls into the summer, Giannis will comfortably be in the driver's seat. At that point, Antetokounmpo is effectively an expiring contract without an extension due to his player option for the 2027-28 season. The Bucks would be left with little choice but to listen to their superstar.
The sources talking with Bontemps and Windhorst agreed.
"If he waits until the summer [to ask out] he'll have maximum leverage on what his future will be," one Eastern Conference scout told ESPN.
Why does that matter for the Lakers? That much should be obvious. As far as assets go, Rob Pelinka and the front office do not have a ton to offer. In those circumstances, though, all it would take to swing the momentum in their favor would be Giannis saying he wants to be in Los Angeles.
If that were the case, the lackluster asset pool does not matter as much. The Lakers will fork over what they can to not make it look like a total rip-off. However, the thought would be that whatever they pay is only a fraction of what the cost should be.
Moreover, it would be malpractice to not discuss Austin Reaves' role in this scenario.
Reaves is due for a payday in the summer. Antetokounmpo's massive contract has a salary figure that is tough to match. A sign-and-trade involving the Lakers guard would likely be the necessary path to getting a deal done.
In an ideal world, Reaves could be kept away from the mix. The unfortunate reality that needs to be embraced is this dream would be pretty close to impossible without his inclusion.
All of this remains a long shot, all the same. However, if the Lakers are big-game hunting for Antetokounmpo and his services on the trade market, that experience will undeniably be easier if that is taking place during the summer of 2026.