With the Milwaukee Bucks being 28-39, and confidently heading for the lottery, the cries to get Giannis Antetokounmpo out of Wisconsin should only get louder when the offseason arrives. The Los Angeles Lakers could have an unexpected role in that looming blockbuster trade.
The Lakers would love to get Giannis for themselves. However, the latest chatter has been that Antetokounmpo may prefer to stick on the East Coast, closer to Greece. That brings an obvious name back into the equation.
Links to the New York Knicks were rampant during the late stages of the last offseason. They consistently remained before the trade deadline, even though Antetokounmpo ultimately ended up staying in Milwaukee. That should be considered a prime destination for Giannis yet again.
Figuring out a worthwhile trade for the Bucks in that scenario would not be easy for the Knicks. This is where the Lakers come in. For the right price, Rob Pelinka's franchise could provide extra draft capital and alleviate any unwanted contracts from the deal. The price in question should be OG Anunoby.
OG Anunoby going to Los Angeles could help Giannis get to New York
Antetokounmpo's $58.5 million cap hit is a large one for any team to absorb. The cleanest path for the Knicks would be to unload Karl-Anthony Towns in the deal, but there is little reason to think the Bucks should have a ton of interest in his services.
Likewise, Anunoby to the Bucks does not make a great deal of sense either. The Knicks' defensive ace is tailored to be a key supporting piece on a title team. Being the lone star in Milwaukee would be an odd fit.
This is where the Lakers come into the picture. Los Angeles does have aspirations of building a champion around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Anunoby would be the perfect type of player to aid that duo. Offensively, the excellent off-ball arsenal is a seamless addition. Defensively, Los Angeles would get the type of player to build a consistent gameplan around.
If the Lakers know Antetokounmpo does not want to come to Los Angeles, helping keep him in the Eastern Conference is just as rewarding for them. It would mean not seeing a top-five player in a postseason matchup any earlier than a potential NBA Finals meeting.
Pelinka would still have plenty of work left in filling out a full roster around the trio of Doncic, Reaves, and Anunoby. However, it would give the franchise an excellent starting point for the next era of Lakers basketball.