The Los Angeles Lakers trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo is a possibility, but as ESPN's Tim Bontemps said on the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast, it might take the superstar demanding a trade to Hollywood over the summer. As Windhorst and Bontemps pointed out, the team currently has one tradable first-round pick, making an in-season trade challenging, but they will have access to three total in the offseason.
Milwaukee could trade Giannis between now and next week's Feb. 5 deadline of 12 p.m. PT, or it could wait until the summer when teams, like the Lakers, have access to more draft capital. However, that would also give Giannis more leverage, as he'd be entering what could be the final year of his current contract. He has a $62.8 million player option for the 2027-28 season, and he could decline to become an unrestricted free agent.
He already has some sway in where he would go if he's traded now, as a team would want reassurance that he'd re-sign with them if they acquired him before the deadline. That would become even more so the case once the offseason hits, and he'd officially be under contract for one more year.
So, as Bontemps said, Giannis could try to force his way directly to the Lakers, which is a possibility, but even if he outright declared LA as one No. 1 spot, that wouldn't guarantee a trade.
How much interest does Giannis have in a Lakers trade?
We know, per The Stein Line, that Giannis is interested in playing alongside Anthony Edwards, who is 24, and Tyrese Maxey, who is 25. While teams like the Heat, Knicks, and Warriors (in no particular order) seem to be leading the charge for a trade, it's clear that he is eyeing teams with younger stars. Luka will be 27 next month, so he's older than Edwards and Maxey, but you can still fit him in there.
There hasn't been a report specifically linking Giannis to Los Angeles, but that doesn't mean he hasn't considered it. It's the Lakers, and thanks to Nico Harrison, they have Luka. You know that the idea of teaming up with the Slovenian guard is something he's thought about, but, unfortunately, it's not that easy. LA also has to meet Milwaukee's requirements, and some teams could offer more.
You still can't count out the Lakers, though, as nobody predicted what happened at last year's deadline. Los Angeles knows how to make the impossible happen in terms of trades, so the Giannis-to-LA dream is still alive (and it would come at a steep cost), at least for now.