This is the Lakers' most realistic trade offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo

Scott Rafferty

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This is the Lakers' most realistic trade offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo image

The Lakers have been identified as a team to watch in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.

Earlier this week, ESPN's Shams Charania delivered the news Bucks fans were hoping would never come: Antetokounmpo is "ready for a new home" and the franchise is starting to listen to offers.

To no surprise, many teams have been named as having interest in Antetokounmpo since Charania's report. That includes the Lakers, who are a "team to keep an eye on... As another team of interest," per The Ringer's Howard Beck.

Beck mentioned that the Lakers are probably a more realistic option for Antetokounmpo if he's still available in the offseason, as they'll have more draft capital to offer, as well as more clarity on the futures of LeBron James and Austin Reaves. Even so, there is an offer the Lakers can make for Antetokounmpo ahead of the trade deadline that might interest the Bucks.

Here's what a realistic Lakers trade for Antetokounmpo would look like and why the Bucks might say yes and no.

MORE: Tracking the latest trade rumors about Giannis Antetokounmpo

Hypothetical Lakers-Bucks trade

Lakers receive:

Giannis Antetokounmpo
Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Andre Jackson Jr.

Bucks receive:

Austin Reaves
Jake LaRavia
Rui Hachimura
Gabe Vincent
Maxi Kleber
2032 first-round pick

How Lakers can trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo

Fanspo

MORE: Bucks asking price in a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade revealed by NBA insider

Why Bucks say yes

Reaves is one of the better players who could be traded at the deadline.

He's been hampered by a calf injury recently, but when he's played, Reaves has looked like an All-Star. Through 23 games, he's averaging 26.6 points, 6.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds. He's had five 30-point games, two 40-point games and one 50-point game.

Reaves has been even better in games played without Luka Doncic and James, giving a taste of what being a No. 1 option could look like. And at age 27, his best years should be ahead of him even if he's not truly a spring chicken.

LaRavia has had moments this season and is a close friend of Reaves. Hachimura, Vincent and Kleber are all expiring contracts, which would give the Bucks some money to spend in the offseason.

If the Bucks are looking to get a young star and at least one draft pick in return for Antetokounmpo, this checks some important boxes. By 2032, Doncic will be in his early 30s and Antetokounmpo will be in his late 30s. In today's volatile NBA landscape, there's also a chance that neither of them will be on the team by then, so that pick could be incredibly valuable.

MORE: Here's how Warriors can trade for both Giannis and LeBron

Why Bucks say no

The Bucks are "asking for the moon," according to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer. Specifically, they want "all of your young players and all of your draft picks."

Not only do the Lakers not have much draft capital to trade, Doncic himself is also younger than Reaves. An 'all of your young players' package that doesn't include the Lakers' best young player is a tough sell.

As good as Reaves is, the Bucks might be looking for a younger player with All-Star potential. Also, they might not have much long-term interest in Hachimura, Vincent and Kleber, who are mostly included in this deal to make the salaries work.

Making matters more complicated is that there's no guarantee Reaves has a future in Milwaukee. He has a player option for the 2026-27 season that he is expected to decline to enter free agency so that he can cash in on his career year. The Bucks could be the ones to sign him to that contract, but there will be no shortage of interest in Reaves around the league.

Trading Antetokounmpo for Reaves, only to lose him several months later, would be a disaster.

Even though Antetokounmpo has been limited to 30 games this season due to injuries, he's still an all-time great who is averaging 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists in only 29.2 minutes per game. The Bucks should be asking for the moon.

The reason the Lakers are more likely an option in the offseason is they will be able to draft their 2026 first-round pick after they make the selection. They can't trade it now because of the Stepien rule, which prevents them from being able to trade draft picks in back-to-back years. (The Lakers owe their 2027 pick to the Jazz.)

If the Bucks are hoping to reset in a big way, teams can offer them better long-term assets than the Lakers.