Following a recent report that Giannis Antetokounmpo is uncertain about signing an extension with the Milwaukee Bucks, new reporting from NBA insider Marc Stein has listed two big market teams who are expected to express interest in the superstar’s services.
“The Lakers and the Knicks are already being mentioned as franchises presumed to interest Antetokounmpo down the road if he does decide to move on from Milwaukee, which just made a slew of moves (re-signing Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez and replacing Mike Budenholzer as coach with Adrian Griffin) to try to appease its face of the franchise.”
NBA Rumors: Lakers, Knicks Listed as Possible Destinations for Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Case for the Knicks
The New York Knicks have held out hope for a superstar in the Big Apple. Whether it’s through a trade or free agency, the Knicks can move contracts to get Giannis to “the city that never sleeps.”
Evan Fournier (assuming he remains a Knick) will be a free agent in 2025. Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson have one-year Player Options as part of the four-year, max contracts they signed last summer. The same can be said for RJ Barrett and his four-year, $107 million deal. In this instance, Barrett and Brunson would likely stay, while Fournier and Randle would part ways via trade or free agency. Thus, a path would emerge for Giannis to join the Knicks, surrounded by Brunson, Barrett and other young talents. Randle remaining with the Knicks is an intriguing possibility, though the potential fit with Giannis is questionable.
New York would make sense for Antetokounmpo, and he would be an immediate game-changer for them. His dominance as a scorer, with Brunson facilitating and Barrett on the wing, would do wonders for the team’s offense. The Knicks scored 45% of their points in the paint last season, a stat that would jump exponentially with Giannis. He would equally elevate the team’s defense. The Knicks finished 19th in defensive rating last year (114.8).
If the Knicks aren’t willing to wait until free agency, they could assemble a package around Randle, Fournier, young players and picks that might get them in the running. How it separates them from the pack of offers is another story.
All in all, New York has been waiting for this moment—acquiring an elite-level talent to get them over the hump and into serious contention. The Knicks are building something special, and Antetokounmpo could very well be a part of it.
The Case for the Lakers
It seems star power is natural for the Los Angeles Lakers. With LeBron James potentially retiring in the next year or two, pursuing Giannis is the perfect opportunity for Jeanie Buss, Rob Pelinka and co. It’s particularly notable that Antetokounmpo, like many other NBA stars, idolized and trained with the late, great Kobe Bryant.
After James retires, the team would undoubtedly look to Anthony Davis as its cornerstone player. They would also keep Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura—young, excellent players who are under contract with LA until 2026. The Lakers are in the same boat with newly-signed Gabe Vincent. They wouldn’t have enough assets to offer in a trade, so free agency would be the way to go. With most of their current contracts off the books by 2025, the Lakers could have enough to persuade Giannis to go west.
The Lakers are known for their electric offense that brightens city lights. They were the fourth-fastest team in the regular season, with a pace of 101.92. Their playoff pace, as expected, slowed down to 99.04 (7th). They were also solid defensively, at one point having the top-rated defense after the trade deadline. The Lakers are set with the core around James and Davis. Bringing in Giannis once LeBron retires would be genius.
In terms of star duos, a combination of Davis and Antetokounmpo could be lethal on both ends of the floor. Both Giannis and AD can thrive in the paint while occasionally roaming the perimeter. They’re net-positives on both sides and can dominate when healthy, each putting up insane numbers with a winning mindset. The Lakers pairing Giannis with AD would be a dream come true.
For a city of stars, Giannis could be next to join the illustrious rankings of the purple and gold.
The Last Word
The Knicks and Lakers are two top destinations, and they both desire a clear direction for their futures. Landing Giannis Antetokounmpo would be the best-case scenario for either franchise. Both teams will have to sort out if they can afford Giannis in free agency or come up with a worthy trade offer. However, if Giannis indeed leaves Milwaukee after a decade-plus of stellar service, New York and LA are the best possible landing spots for him.
