Giannis Antetokounmpo has captured and controlled all the NBA headlines over the course of the last few weeks.
Originally, it was due to him and his agent revisiting trade conversations with the Milwaukee Bucks after formally requesting said trade this past offseason. Once that took up every square inch of the NBA rumor mill, the unthinkable happened.
Giannis came down with a non-contact right calf strain that was initially feared to be an Achilles injury based on how it looked live.
Since then, most of the talk surrounding Antetokounmpo’s future has simmered down from wild and feverish to composed and analytic. Some around the NBA have taken off their rose-colored lenses and seen the reality of the situation.
Regardless, he’s still one of the biggest names in the sport, and his next destination could change the landscape of the league. Thanks to Chris Haynes, we may have a more in-depth idea of where the Greek Freak wants to land.
Did Giannis Antetokounmpo describe LA with his most recent wishlist?
When speaking with Rachel Nichols in Vegas at the NBA Cup weekend, Chris Haynes revealed that he had a list of some of the most important things that Giannis Antetokounmpo is looking for in his next suiter.
Tell me if this sounds like Los Angeles.
Haynes said, “Ultimately, for Giannis, wherever he lands, I think preferably he would like to have some sun. He would like to be probably in a big market. Outside of that, he just wants to be on a team where he can compete for a championship. He’s adamant that’s a main priority."
“Ultimately, for Giannis, wherever he lands I think preferably he would like to have some sun. He would like to be probably in a big market. Outside of that, he just wants to be on a team where he can compete for a championship. He’s adamant that’s a main priority.” @ChrisBHaynes pic.twitter.com/GWkXk5VNzi
— Dru (@dru_star) December 13, 2025
Hmm, a sunny, large market that can compete for championships. Well, I happen to know of a sunny, large-market team that just so happens to have the second-most titles in NBA History.
The Lakers would likely have to part ways with Austin Reaves to make that happen, which seems like an increasingly tall order with each season.
Giannis is a free agent in 2027, which has been reportedly the summer the Lakers plan to go all in on Luka Dončić. If they can hold out until then, they could get him without giving up a single asset.
That is the pitch and the pressure you must apply if you’re Rob Pelinka. We’ll see over the next year or so how different the NBA looks once he’s moved.
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