How a Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Impacts the Lakers... Even if He's Not Coming to LA

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers · Jan 30, 2026 · 36m

First things first: Giannis Antetokounmpo is NOT going to be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, even after he has officially been put on the block, and the Bucks are open for business.

But that doesn't mean the Lakers aren't impacted by a potential Giannis deal. There are three major points where this (potential) trade can have an effect on how the deadline plays out in El Segundo...

First, the market is much more likely to be active with Giannis available. There are a lot of teams that see themselves as potential players in the Giannis Sweepstakes, and they don't want to use up anything that…