The NBA trade deadline passed almost two weeks ago, which put a temporary hold on talks of Giannis Antetokounmpo leaving Milwaukee. The Greek Freak is still in Cream City, at least for now, but this summer that could all change.
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Teams will have more maneuverability once the season is over than they did at the deadline, which could set off a bidding war for one of the best players in the game. If Giannis finally decides he is ready for a change of scenery, then his long-rumored exit could become a reality.
And as we all know, any time a superstar is potentially available, the LA Lakers are always at or near the top of the list of suitors. Befitting their location, the Lakers have been the most Hollywood team in the NBA for over four decades, with a seemingly endless wave of superstars throughout their history.
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka shocked the basketball world when he traded for Luka Doncic at last year’s deadline. And with LeBron James potentially retiring, going elsewhere, or taking a pay cut, Pelinka could have the flexibility to take another huge swing at Giannis.
On today’s episode of No Fouls Given, Danny Green and Paul Pierce answered a listener’s question about Giannis heading West. “No s***, I mean yeah,” Green said. “Everybody should pursue Giannis if they’re letting him go, but of course the Lakers can f***** use him, I mean what?”
Green initially saw the addition of Giannis as a no-brainer if the Lakers could piece together a package built around draft picks and role players, though he begrudgingly said he would include Austin Reaves in the deal if he had to. Pierce, meanwhile, was more skeptical about whether the move even made sense.
“I’m not sure if I would look for that,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a good fit. I’ve never seen Giannis play with a ball-dominant guard. I haven’t really seen him play off the ball really well like he did in his younger days. He’s more effective when he’s going downhill, having the ball at the top of the key, and I don’t see Luka just kind of spotting up. I don’t think that’s the fit.”
Pierce seemed to sway his co-host with his argument, as Green went on to agree with the take and pivoted to saying the Knicks would be a better fit for Giannis’ game.
It is indeed true that Luka and Giannis are two of the highest-usage players in the league, and they have different styles and prefer to play at different paces. This is the same concern people had when Luka joined forces with LeBron, or when LeBron teamed up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. The Heat won two titles, and though the Lakers have not had the same success, Luka and LeBron have coexisted nicely.
Fit obviously matters when constructing a team, but even when you are the Lakers, you cannot just go around the league and cherry-pick the players you want. Superstars like Giannis do not become available too often, and when they do, the best course of action is to acquire them and figure out the rest later.
Pierce has suggested trading LeBron and Reaves before so that the Lakers could acquire an elite big man and improve on the defensive end. Giannis is a five-time All-Defensive Team selection, and he won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2020. He is not a traditional back-to-the-basket big, but any team that has him does not need to worry about the center position.
With Luka and Giannis, the Lakers would have two of the five best players in the league. Even if Pelinka traded away most of the supporting cast and a bundle of future picks, that is a core that could challenge for a title year after year.
All that matters now is whether Giannis wants to leave Milwaukee, but if he does, the Lakers should be kicking the tires to see what they can do.
