Report: Lakers Preparing Aggressive Offseason Push for Giannis Antetokounmpo

A hot topic of discussion heading into the final stretch of the 2025-26 NBA season has been the future of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who might be on the move this summer, with teams like the Los Angeles Lakers lining up with trade offers to land the two-time NBA MVP.

As of right now, Antetokounmpo is saying all the right things and claims to be focused on the Bucks moving forward. However, once the NBA offseason begins, the trade rumors will start ramping up once again, and the Lakers appear to be a team that will be in an “all-out pursuit” of one of the best all-around players in the league.

Lakers Planning ‘All-Out Pursuit’ of Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo Los Angeles Lakers Milwaukee Bucks — Jan 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) moves the ball against Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake LaRavia (12) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Ahead of the NBA trade deadline, the Lakers didn’t have the trade assets to make a competitive offer for Antetokounmpo. It didn’t matter, however, because the Bucks chose to keep their face of the franchise, at least until the summer, which benefits the Lakers, who will have more assets available to include in a deal.

According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Lakers will be doing everything in their power to acquire Antetokounmpo to play alongside fellow superstar Luka Doncic.

To see Antetokounmpo embrace the All-Star spotlight as he did over the weekend was to wonder how much the nonstop hype surrounding him might impact his market a few months from now. Take the Los Angeles Lakers, for example, who are known to be planning an all-out pursuit of the Bucks’ big man in the summer.

Although there’s a chance that all these trade rumors are overblown and Antetokounmpo stays put in Milwaukee, the Lakers will likely continue their pursuit of the perennial All-Star until he signs a contract extension with the Bucks.

The real question for the Lakers moving forward is whether their trade package will beat out other interested teams. The Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves will likely be in the running for the one-time NBA champion, and it’s possible other teams emerge during the summer.

LeBron James Rumors Continue to Swirl

LeBron James Los Angeles Lakers NBA All-Star Game — Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team USA Stripes forward LeBron James (23) of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on in game two against Team Stars during the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Lakers and LeBron James seem set to part ways after the 2025-26 campaign when his contract with the team expires. All signs point to James not retiring and testing NBA free agency, with a reunion with the Cleveland Cavaliers being an option, via Amick.

There’s the matter of where he might want to play, with all sorts of recent speculation within the league about a return to Cleveland being a viable option. Perhaps even more importantly, there’s the question of how much money he’ll demand.

Much like all the speculation surrounding Antetokounmpo's future, the same goes for James.