More teams, including Lakers, being mentioned as Giannis suitors

The question isn't which team isn't interested in Giannis Antetokounmpo.

It's which isn't.

The Bucks forward, still considered a top five player in the NBA, has signaled that he is comfortable being moved from Milwaukee, and that has predictably set off a frenzy of activity and speculation. And while it's hard to know, just six days from the trade deadline, what is smoke and what is real, it's safe to say that we will keep hearing about more and more teams as the days pass.

After ESPN's Shams Charania gave the Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors the best shot in the Giannis sweepstakes, other reporters with credibility have thrown other teams in the mix.

Howard Beck, who was a Los Angeles Lakers beat reporter once upon a time and now works for teh Ringer, mentioned the Lakers as a possible entrant.

The Lakers are a team to watch for Giannis Antetokounmpo, per @HowardBeck

“I was told recently that the Lakers were a team to keep an eye on from Giannis' standpoint, just as another team of interest.”

(Via @ZachLowe_NBA / h/t @BasketNews_com ) pic.twitter.com/1NuYAjuo3c
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 30, 2026

The Lakers certainly have co-stars for Giannis, though it's unclear if LeBron James would need to go the other direction in a trade. Giannis has said previously that Los Angeles didn't interest him -- and he does hold some power because he has a contract extension looming. But perhaps that has changed.

It's well-known that Giannis has had his eyes on New York, but on the more established franchise -- the Knicks. But what about the moribund, lottery-bound Nets? Glad you asked. Apparently, they're considering an attempt to fast-forward their rebuilding process. Brooklyn is loaded with draft picks that could entice Milwaukee if the Bucks want to start from scratch.

The Brooklyn Nets are expected to seriously consider making a real offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, per @NYPost_Lewis & @WindhorstESPN

“Brooklyn has 10 tradable firsts, Michael Porter Jr. and 11 tradeable firsts as of draft night. I think Brooklyn will seriously consider making… pic.twitter.com/wDgfmVNhD0
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 30, 2026

Would Antetokounmpo want to join and re-sign with New York's less heralded franchise, when that hasn't worked so well for the likes of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden, when that franchise currently doesn't have anything resembling a second star, and the closest (Michael Porter Jr.) might get sent out in a deal?

It seems unlikely.

So does Atlanta, based on the Hawks' checkered history, but that's been speculated some as well. The Hawks have very valuable picks, and they would allow Giannis to stay in the East, which is the easier road than ending up in Minnesota or Golden State and having to deal with Oklahoma City and Denver to get to the NBA Finals. Again, though, how much better is the Hawks' roster than that of the current Bucks, if the Hawks include Jalen Johnson in the deal?

For the Heat, my biggest concern would be Bucks becoming intoxicated with Atlanta's ability to offer Pelicans' unprotected 1st round pick this June OR a team surprisingly offering an elite young talent in exchange (Scottie Barnes? Franz Wagner? Jalen Duren?)
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) January 30, 2026

By the end of this, every team may make a case that it's the best place for Giannis to land. If not to the Bucks directly, then to some reporter. This will make for a wild, wild week.