It doesn’t feel the same with the Milwaukee Bucks missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade. That’s why as the Los Angeles Lakers get a headstart beating the Houston Rockets 107-98 in Game 1, the spotlight is on Milwaukee and the biggest offseason what-if there. For six months, the speculation has only been about Giannis Antetokounmpo leaving the Bucks for a sunnier climate. The primary landing destination in these rumors have been Los Angeles. Specifically, the Lakers, not the other LA team. However, the Greek Freak poured water over LakeShow’s dream for a LeBron-Giannis-Luka Big 3 with one word.

After a premature end to his season, Giannis was on Goran Dragic’s podcast, Gogi’s Garage, the two-time MVP cleared the air a tiny bit around all the trade rumors. Armed with the right questions, the Miami Heat legend asked Antetokounmpo to pick a favorite vacation destination between Miami and Los Angeles.

Giannis wasn’t vague in the least. “Miami. Miami, Miami. I think LA superficial. I don’t like LA.”

Let’s be clear. He’s talking about vacation spots. Not teams. Not trades. Of course being called superficial did not go down well with the Angelites who outraged on social media.

But the superficial tag would apply more to a longterm residence than a fleeting vacation. So fans interpret this jab as a rejection of any trade possibility to the Lakers. Not surprisingly, it’s a hard pill to swallow after Dalton Knecht and Gabe Vincent’s names have been floated for a Giannis trade package.

Let’s not say never though. The Lakers have a history – Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, Luka Doncic – of snatching superstars when we least expect it. And let’s not forget the time they got the Kareem Abdul Jabbar from the Bucks in 1975.

Again, Giannis might only mean about vacation spots and even if the remark effectively ends the narrative that Antetokounmpo would approve a trade to the Lakers. But it also shows that instead of a superficial spotlight, the 10-time All-Star reportedly values culture and environment as much as competitive fit. It’s not a coincidence that he happens to be talking to someone who spent over half his career in that environment.

Giannis Antetokounmpo hints at a new destination

While Giannis Antetokounmpo was quick to dismiss Los Angeles, he was significantly more complimentary when Dragic, who spent seven seasons with the Heat, suggested, “You need warm climate, man,” citing the 31-year-old’s age. Antetokounmpo didn’t miss a beat: “Hey, Miami’s not a bad place, man. It’s a beautiful, beautiful city.”

So yes, Miami’s Spongebob and Patrick while LA is looking out the window like Squidward. But there’s still the question about the perennial employee of the Krusty Krab, that is the Milwaukee Bucks.

As much as Giannis likes Miami, he’s reluctant to end his 13-year tenure at Milwaukee. The recent decline has left him conflicted. After a disastrous 32-50 season that saw the Bucks miss the playoffs and Doc Rivers step down as head coach, the franchise cornerstone admitted the trade rumors are finally getting to him. “I kept saying, ‘Guys, I’m here, I’m not going nowhere,’” Giannis told Dragic. “But at the same time, you’re competitive, you want to win. You’ve gotta make a better decision for yourself.”

That leaves his future with Milwaukee undecided. Though he appears entirely decided on Los Angeles. For Lakers fans hoping for a LeBron and Giannis “super-team” to save the post-Doncic era, this dream is done.