With news that superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo may want out of Milwaukee, Los Angeles Lakers fans are no doubt dreaming up ways of pairing him with Luka Dončić and LeBron James.
That might sound delusional, and perhaps it is, but NBA analyst Sam Quinn of CBS Sports pointed out a way that Giannis could be traded to the Lakers. As Quinn points out, while the Lakers seemingly don't have enough assets to pry him from the Milwaukee Bucks, they also didn't appear to have enough to land Doncic either.
"The Lakers cannot conceivably build a package to trade for Giannis." Bro the Lakers just got Luka for AD and a single pick. Normal rules don't apply to them. If Giannis expresses any interest in the Lakers they can make it happen. They have as much to trade as the Knicks do. https://t.co/ewuGC9Zz1X
— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) October 7, 2025
That is a fair point, with the Lakers pulling a rabbit out of a hat to acquire Doncic without having to give up all of their first-round picks. That gives them additional assets to pursue Giannis.
The Lakers have a controversial path to a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade
The most obvious Lakers trade package would see them ship out Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, and Gabe Vincent plus two firsts and two pick swaps to the Bucks for Antetokounmpo. That might not seem like a great offer for the Bucks.
But if Giannis makes it clear that he only wants to play for the New York Knicks or the Lakers, that would limit the number of offers Milwaukee would receive. In that scenario, the Lakers' offer would best the Knicks' offer unless they traded Karl-Anthony Towns to a third team for multiple first-round picks.
Reaves would definitely be the centerpiece of a potential deal for the Lakers, with him having played like a borderline all-star during the second half of last season. Add in two firsts and two pick swaps, and it's still not enough for the Bucks, but most trades involving superstars are often lopsided.
In fact, most of those trades seemingly involve the Lakers being on the winning end of that deal. Lakers fans would love nothing more than to thumb their noses at the rest of the league.
The Lakers have an outside shot at Giannis Antetokounmpo
Imagine a trio of LeBron, Doncic, and Giannis—at least for a season—before LeBron either retires or leaves in free agency after next season. That would give them one playoff run together and possibly give them their best chance at a championship.
After that, Doncic and Giannis would be the centerpiece of the Lakers for the next few seasons, extending their championship windows—but only if they can somehow force their way into the Giannis sweepstakes.
All in all, the Lakers may have a path to trading for Antetokounmpo after all. Giannis would have to demand only to play for the Lakers, in which case Reaves, expiring contracts, and all of L.A.'s first-round picks would be the potential offer to land the former two-time MVP.