Golden State Warriors Could Pursue Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James This Offseason
The Golden State Warriors could pursue Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Los Angeles Lakers wing LeBron James this offseason, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
If Antetokounmpo doesn’t sign an extension with the Bucks this offseason, he could get traded because Milwaukee would be running the risk of losing him for nothing.
Antetokounmpo, who is with the same agency as Warriors guard Stephen Curry, has a player option worth $62.8 million for the 2027-28 season. “The Greek Freak” recently stated that he will never request a trade from the Bucks, who won the 2021 championship against the Phoenix Suns but have since won just one playoff series.
Meanwhile, James becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason for the first time since 2018. He played with Curry in the Paris Olympics and the two future Hall of Famers are close friends.
A recent ESPN article stated that Lakers majority governor Jeanie Buss didn’t like that James “was considered a savior for a floundering franchise when he arrived in 2018,” so James and the Purple and Gold could part ways this offseason.
“Sources say that the Warriors naturally do plan to feature prominently in the trade mix for Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo if he truly becomes available via trade this offseason while also exploring the prospect of teaming James with Curry at last once LeBron becomes an unrestricted free agent on June 30,” Fischer wrote.
Warriors swingman Jimmy Butler will miss the rest of this season after tearing his ACL. Butler, though, is not expected to be traded.
Curry turns 38 in March and only has one year left on his contract after this season. The Warriors need to acquire another superstar if they want to compete for their fifth championship in the Curry era, which is why they have been linked to Antetokounmpo and James.
Golden State is currently in eighth place in the Western Conference standings. If the regular season ended today, the Warriors would be in the NBA play-in tournament.
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