Lakers, Knicks could leapfrog Warriors in Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes based on recent rumor
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Lakers, Knicks could leapfrog Warriors in Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes based on recent rumor originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It’s well documented that the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, and New York Knicks are the three organizations believed to be in the mix for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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Antetokounmpo’s relationship with Milwaukee has deteriorated throughout the course of the 2025-26 season, prompting the Bucks to begin pursuing trades involving the 10-time All-Star.
Based on a recent rumor, the Lakers and Knicks could leapfrog the Warriors in the Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes and set themselves up for an action-packed offseason.
"The Warriors have that 11th pick and people wondering can they get in the Giannis mix,” ESPN’s Marcus Spears reported Thursday. “From what I'm being told today from several people, the Warriors like to keep that pick.”
Why is Spears’ report good news for the Lakers and Knicks but bad news for the Warriors? Well, the consensus is that if the Dubs want to have any chance of beginning the 2026-27 campaign with Antetokounmpo on their roster, they’ll have to include their upcoming lottery pick in a blockbuster deal.
While failing to do so technically wouldn’t eliminate the Dubs from contention, it would significantly reduce their odds of convincing the Bucks to send their superstar forward to the Bay.
For the Lakers to capitalize on Golden State’s potential mistake, though, they must be willing to say goodbye to Austin Reaves after five seasons. On Tuesday, the Athletic’s Dan Woike and Sam Amick reported that Luka Doncic advised the Lakers not to execute a Reaves-Antetokounmpo swap, which would leave Los Angeles in a challenging predicament.
If Los Angeles ensures Reaves isn’t an untouchable asset, they find themselves in good shape to land the best player on the trade market this summer.
As for the Knicks, their level of aggression in pursuing a potential Antetokounmpo will depend on how they finish the year. Mike Brown’s crew is slated to compete against either the Cleveland Cavaliers or Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals.
A loss in that round or the NBA Finals would make a trade for Antetokounmpo far more likely.
New York has the assets to help a deal materialize, and with Antetokounmpo previously speaking highly of the storied organization, they could easily take advantage of the Warriors’ refusal to go all-in for Antetokounmpo.
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