The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga is set to heat up in the coming weeks, with the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, and New York Knicks among the teams expected to be in the mix.
However, one former NBA head coach believes that the Lakers should stay away from the Giannis sweepstakes.
Ex-NBA Head Coach Claims Lakers Should Not Pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade
Lakers fans may be dreaming about the possibility of Giannis joining forces with Luka Dončić next season. But former NBA head coach Stan Van Gundy believes the two superstars would not be a good fit.
Instead, the former Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and Detroit Pistons head coach believes the Lakers should bring back LeBron James and Austin Reaves next season.
“They want to win now. Luka Dončić is in his prime. He’s as good an offensive player as we’ve ever had in this league. Do you have a better option than LeBron James, to help you win a championship right now? I don’t think they do,” he said on the Dan Patrick Show on Thursday.
Asked whether he would consider trading for Giannis next season, Van Gundy said that he doesn’t think the Milwaukee Bucks forward and Dončić would complement each other well.
“Giannis, obviously one of the top five players in the league. I don’t think he’s necessarily a really good fit for Dončić. I think he excels with the ball in his hands. The Lakers, especially if they get Austin Reaves back, already have two guys who need the ball in their hands. LeBron has been in your system with those guys and shown you he can play as the third option. And he’s the far better perimeter shooter to space the floor for those guys,” he added.
I don’t know if Giannis is the better guy around Luka Dončić than LeBron James, because of shooting. Luka Dončić, you’ve got to put shooting around him.”
– Stan Van Gundy on what the #Lakers should do about LeBron James pic.twitter.com/N5ephxuoqa
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) May 14, 2026
Antetokounmpo has established himself as one of the most dominant offensive players in the NBA. He thrives as a ball handler in pick-and-roll situations, and also likes to attack the basket. Meanwhile, Dončić is known for his elite playmaking and shot creation.
The Bucks are open to trade discussions involving Antetokounmpo before the NBA Draft in six weeks’ time, and the Lakers are reportedly one of the teams exploring trade scenarios for the 6-foot-11 forward. However, it remains to be seen whether they have the draft capital and other assets to pull off a deal of such magnitude.
That is one of the many questions facing the Lakers heading into the offseason after they were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals.
