Lakers reportedly going all-out to pursue Giannis Antetokmpo! Analyst explains recruitment plan, roster depth becomes biggest issue

On March 12 Beijing time, according to reports by The Athletic's Sam Amick,the Lakers plan to pursue Giannis Antetokmpo aggressively in the offseason. "Take the Los Angeles Lakers as an example, they have clearly planned to pursue this Bucks star vigorously in the summer. Even if they ultimately fail to acquire him, this public pursuit pressure usually sends a signal to other suitors: to get Giannis, one must prepare a massive offer."

The possibility of Giannis joining the Lakers has become one of the hottest topics for the 2026 offseason. Another prominent analyst, Pincus, revealed that while this recruitment is complex, it is far from impossible if several key conditions are met.

Pincus stated on a podcast that the primary and most crucial obstacle is Giannis himself. After all, there have been rumors that Giannis does not want to come to the West and does not want to partner with a ball-dominant star.If this two-time MVP is not interested in playing for the Lakers, then all discussions would immediately cease.

“Let's assume, even with great difficulty, they persuade Giannis to join. That's the first step. If he is unwilling, it's a dead end. He can opt out of his contract after one year. The Lakers might take that risk, sending out three first-round picks, even if Giannis says 'I don't want to be here,' they would still make the trade. They have done this before.”

“Jeanie Buss had this experience when trading for Dwight Howard—Howard had clearly stated he might not want to go to the Lakers, and he left after one year. So, if you first secure Giannis, the next question is whether his agent will push for it and how hard. Unless Giannis or his agent strongly pressures, the Bucks won't trade him. Then comes the question of where he wants to be traded.”

Giannis still holds control over his future because if traded to a team he doesn't want to join, he can opt out after one year. This means any team pursuing him must first convince him that their long-term plan is sound.

For the Lakers, the biggest attraction is the opportunity to form a new superstar pairing with Luka Doncic—Doncic has already become the team's core.A 31-year-old Giannis paired with a 27-year-old Doncic could instantly become one of the league's most dominant duos.

However, from a salary perspective, acquiring Giannis is not simple. Giannis's salary next season is projected to be around $58 million, meaning the Lakers need massive salary cap space or a complex trade structure to absorb his contract.

According to Pincus, one scenario is the Lakers clearing salary, using cap space to sign Giannis directly from the Bucks.If some contracts expire, the Lakers could theoretically free up about $53 million in space, very close to matching Giannis's salary.

In this case, the Lakers could trade away small-contract or role players like Knecht, Bronny, or Vanderbilt to fill the remaining salary gap.

Another possibility is a sign-and-trade centered around Reaves. Reaves is expected to opt out of his current contract and seek a much larger deal in free market. If he is willing to participate in a sign-and-trade, he could become the core trade asset, providing return for the Bucks. Reaves going to the Bucks sounds somewhat forced; he must be willing himself.

But even so, this scenario is full of challenges.

Given these complexities,Pincus believes a multi-team trade might be the most realistic way to facilitate this deal. In today's NBA, blockbuster trades often involve 3 to 4 teams to balance contracts, draft picks, and player value.

For example, a team could take on some contracts, while the Bucks receive draft assets and young players. This structure could allow the Lakers to acquire Giannis while giving the Bucks sufficient return.

“There are also some very bold possibilities. For instance, a sign-and-trade involving LeBron James. I wrote an article saying this is extremely unlikely, but some took it out of context, as if I were suggesting the Lakers trade James to the Bucks for Giannis. If it's a sign-and-trade for James, he would have to sign a three-year contract with no options, possibly fully guaranteed or partially guaranteed. I'm not sure James would sign any partially guaranteed contract.”

“Suppose the Cavaliers want to bring James back to Cleveland, offering something like a three-year $90 million contract, planned to be paid over time. I'm just making up numbers, please don't misquote. In some theoretical world, if the Cavs join, maybe Jarrett Allen goes to another team, maybe another team also participates. In today's NBA, major trades almost always require multiple parties to complete.”

“Another possibility: the Jazz like Austin Reaves. I've heard this from reliable sources. The Lakers have long been linked with Walker Kessler. So theoretically, a sign-and-trade could be done: Reaves to the Jazz, Kessler to the Lakers, draft picks flow accordingly, the Bucks get some picks. This way the Lakers could form a frontcourt of Giannis + Doncic + Kessler.”

“But almost all these scenarios have one problem: roster depth. Giannis's salary is about $58 million per year. Almost every path to acquire him would leave the Lakers with only three big contracts, the rest of the roster filled with minimum-salary players.”

If the Lakers successfully complete this operation, roster depth would become the biggest issue. Giannis's massive contract likely leaves the Lakers with only three top-salary-level players, the remaining roster pieced together with minimum contracts and cheap role players.

This might make the first season more like a transition period, where the team needs to rebuild the roster around the new superstar core.

There is also a strategic variable here: the Lakers could use their projected 2027 salary cap space as leverage against the Bucks. If Giannis strongly leans toward joining the Lakers, they could simply wait until he becomes a free agent, rather than immediately sending out valuable assets.

In other words,the Lakers' paper trade assets might not be the strongest, but they possess highly potent advantages: leverage, market appeal, and the opportunity to partner with Doncic. If Giannis decides to go to Los Angeles, these factors might ultimately shape the outcome.