With the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaching, the Los Angeles Lakers are once again being linked to potential roster upgrades amid a midseason slump and persistent defensive issues. While many expected L.A. to be aggressive on the trade market, one prominent NBA insider believes the franchise may be thinking much bigger.
Zach Lowe Reveals Lakers’ Plan to Pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo
ESPN’s Zach Lowe suggested the Lakers could be among several teams willing to preserve their assets in hopes of pursuing Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, either later this season or in the summer.
“The Hawks, the Warriors, the Lakers, the Heat, maybe the Knicks… are sort of thinking to themselves, do we need to keep all of our stuff and wait for Giannis to maybe become available,” Lowe said on Sunday, adding that the summer could be pivotal if Antetokounmpo declines a future extension offer. In that scenario, Lowe noted, it would effectively signal a trade request.
For now, Milwaukee’s situation remains fluid. The Bucks are 5-5 since Antetokounmpo returned from injury and currently sit 11th in the Eastern Conference at 17-24.
They have lost four of their last five games, raising questions about their ability to contend. Lowe emphasized that the league is closely monitoring whether further struggles could accelerate a major decision.
“The whole league is watching if they slide any further down the standings,” Lowe said. “Does Giannis push the button now instead of waiting until the summer? That’s potentially the biggest story in the NBA.”
Speculation surrounding Antetokounmpo’s future has circulated since the 2025 playoffs, when Milwaukee suffered its third straight first-round exit.
Despite signing center Myles Turner in July 2025 to strengthen their championship outlook, the Bucks’ uneven start to the 2025-26 season has only fueled rumors that the two-time MVP could eventually seek a new path in pursuit of another title.
Last month, Shams Charania reported that Antetokounmpo and his agent, Alex Saratsis, had begun discussions with the Bucks about his long-term future and whether his best fit remained in Milwaukee.
Antetokounmpo has publicly pushed back on trade talk, stating, “My plan is to be here for the rest of my career,” according to ESPN.
Contractually, Antetokounmpo remains under team control. He signed a three-year, $175,369,698 extension that runs through 2027.
According to ESPN, he becomes eligible for a four-year, $275 million supermax extension through the 2030-31 season on Oct. 1.
If traded, Antetokounmpo would be able to sign that same deal with a new team six months later, a factor that could influence any potential negotiations.
For the Lakers, the situation is complex. Any short-term move at the deadline could limit their flexibility for a blockbuster pursuit down the line.
As the season unfolds, the Lakers, sitting sixth in the West with a 24-16 record, may opt to endure their current struggles in exchange for preserving assets, keeping an eye on what could become the NBA’s most consequential trade opportunity.
