Following the surprising trade of Luka Doncic from the Mavericks to the Lakers, many thought that would be the last big-name signing in Los Angeles for a while. However, the Lakers have never been a franchise that sits back thinking the job is done, and they might have set their sights on another massive European target.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been linked with a move to a team now seen as the 12/1 joint-fourth favorite to take the 2025 NBA Championship. Antetokounmpo’s current side, the Milwaukee Bucks, are seen as 80/1 outsiders. In contrast, Doncic’s former side, the Dallas Mavericks, find themselves near the 76ers, Spurs, and Atlanta Hawks, where Georgia sports betting customers will find odds of 1000/1 and 2000/1. NBA betting has become a lot easier thanks to the wide range of betting apps available, allowing fans to bet on both teams and players.
If the Lakers continue their impressive recruitment and welcome the Greek/Nigerian center next season, they could be the early favorites for the 2026 Championship.
Doncic Impact
The NBA was rocked when the Mavericks traded Luka Doncic, seemingly against his will. Critics have been quick to condemn this bizarre decision, but Lakers fans aren’t complaining. The five-time All-Star and 2019 Rookie of the Year has slotted into the Lakers’ setup and joined LeBron James as the fastest player to record 100 assists and 300 points for the franchise. The popular Slovenian has also been name-checked in Kendrick Lamar’s latest song, Good Credit. This will only bolster his popularity among fans and help him adjust to life in LA even more quickly.
It is fairly telling that what is considered to be a ‘poor’ offensive night still saw him score 21 points, get 14 assists, and get nine rebounds. This helped the Lakers to a 125 to 109 victory against the San Antonio Spurs in the absence of Lebron James, who is about a week away from returning from a groin strain.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
As LeBron edges closer to retirement, the Lakers seem to be doing everything they can to ensure there are massive names to fill his shoes, and Giannis Antetokounmpo would fit the bill.
The 6ft 11″, Athens-born center and power forward is a two-time NBA MVP and the 2021 NBA finals MVP when the Bucks won the championship with a 4-2 victory over the Phoenix Suns. He also picked up the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year award, which saw him join Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan as the only players to win this accolade, along with an MVP and finals MVP in their careers.
Antetokounmpo is posting impressive averages so far this season. His 30.4 ppg average is second only to Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who leads the way with 33. A 12.1 rebound average and 6.0 assists per game are also near his career-best performances, meaning the Lakers could be getting a player who can still perform at the highest level should they pull the trigger on the move.
