Rumors have been continuously swirling around reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Giannis Antetokounmpo and his future with the Milwaukee Bucks since they got defeated by the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Bucks remain confident that he would sign the massive contract extension that they offered, but as of now, the “Greek Freak” hasn’t given any assurance if he would ink a new deal or test the free agency market in the summer of 2021. One of the teams that are closely monitoring Antetokounmpo’s situation in Milwaukee is the Los Angeles Lakers.
In a recent appearance on ESPN Radio , Brian Windhorst revealed that Davis is purposely delaying signing a new contract with the Lakers to see what Antetokounmpo plans to do with his contract extension. If Antetokounmpo declines to sign a new deal with the Bucks this offseason, Windhorst claimed that Davis is likely to sign a two-year contract with a player option in the second year with the Lakers so he and LeBron James could recruit him to Los Angeles when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
“I think there are two star players waiting to sign to see what Giannis does,” Windhorst said, as quoted by RealGM . “That’s Anthony Davis. He’s coming back to the Lakers, but he may change the alteration of his contract, the way it’s structured, to give the Lakers a window, if not for Giannis but for somebody in a one-plus-one. Because that’s what LeBron is now on.”
This could be big news for the Lakers. The successful acquisition of Antetokounmpo would tremendously boost their performance on both ends of the floor as they create what could be the most formidable “Big Three” in league history with James and Davis. Antetokounmpo’s potential arrival in Los Angeles might not only help the Purple and Gold maximize James’ championship window, but it could also ensure that they would remain a legitimate title contender in the loaded Western Conference even if James leaves the team.
Davis, 27, and Antetokounmpo, 25, could bridge the gap to the next era of Lakers basketball when James retires. Aside from the Lakers, Windhorst also mentioned Heat center Bam Adebayo as the other star who is waiting for Antetokounmpo’s decision regarding his contract extension. Adebayo, who blossomed into an All-Star last season, would be eligible for a max extension this fall. However, if the Bucks superstar decides to enter the free agency market, Adebayo could delay signing a new contract to give the Heat salary cap flexibility to go after the two-time MVP in the summer of 2021.
