With the NBA trade deadline officially here, the biggest name on the block is undoubtedly Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Teams are giving the Bucks their best offer for the former two-time MVP, though many teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, aren’t able to put together much of a trade package until the offseason.
While some teams would love to deal for Antetokounmpo immediately, the Bucks themselves would obviously prefer to get the best possible return for their superstar and that is far more likely to happen in the offseason. As such, many have felt that the Bucks would decide to hold on to Giannis through the trade deadline.
And that now looks as if it will be the case as, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Bucks have told teams that they will keep Antetokounmpo through the trade deadline and instead, focus on making other deals:
The Milwaukee Bucks have indicated to teams that they are keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo through the trade deadline and will start making other trades, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026
This is great news for the Lakers and other teams across the league hoping to have a shot at acquiring Giannis from the Bucks. It also makes sense for Milwaukee as the teams interested in him now will still be there in the summer, along with many other teams looking to acquire him, which will only drive the price up higher and give them a bigger return.
For the Lakers specifically, they will have three first-round picks to offer in a Antetokounmpo trade in the offseason. Additionally, they will have plenty of salary cap space to work with with a number of contracts coming off the books, most notably LeBron James.
The Lakers made a smaller trade at the deadline already, acquiring Luke Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks, but this franchise is always known to be on the lookout for a big superstar. Giannis fits that bill and with him now lasting to the offseason, the Lakers have the opportunity to put together their best offer to try and bring him to L.A.
Lakers looking to make a ‘big splash’ this offseason
The Lakers didn’t have many assets to make a major deal at the trade deadline, but the front office’s plan has always been focused on the summer of 2026 and the franchise is reportedly looking to make a ‘big splash’ with Antetokounmpo potentially being the focus.
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