“The Lakers already landed a dream target in Luka Dončić, but the franchise is greedy. If Antetokounmpo demands out, a combination of salaries, talent, and picks could get him to Los Angeles,” wrote NBA insider Eric Pincus back in March. That is how long people — and Lakers fans — have wanted to see ‘The Greek Freak’ adorn the iconic ‘purple and gold’. And while Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn’t demanded a trade yet, recent developments in Milwaukee could push him closer to that decision. Ironically, one of the Bucks’ biggest efforts to keep him might be the very thing that drives him away — and straight to the Lakers.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Luka Doncic’s future is taking shape — albeit slower than expected. The Slovenian superstar, acquired by the Lakers back in February, has already cemented himself as the franchise’s future centerpiece. While fans anticipated that he would sign his massive extension on August 2nd, that deadline may now shift. Fortunately for Lakers fans, there’s no real cause for concern — according to NBA insider Jovan Buha.

“The fact that they said that Luka has the August 2nd date with his extension looming, but that there’s a chance he does not sign it right away because he’s going to be playing for the Slovenian national team at EuroBasket, and he’s going to be away and he’s going to be focused on that. So he might push those talks into September or maybe right ahead of training camp, media day, whatever,” he explained in his long-running podcast, Buha’s Block. 

After August 2nd, Luka Doncic will be eligible to sign a 4-year extension worth $228 million. However, he could also choose to sign on for less in the interim. The money saved could leave a gap in the salary cap, which the Lakers could use to make changes during free agency. Buha emphasized that Doncic is happy, the team is happy, and everything behind the scenes suggests he’s staying.

The Lakers have even made several smaller moves this offseason that seem tailored to Luka — re-signing players represented by his agent, and building continuity around him, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James. Notably, Doncic also tweeted support for the new Lakers ownership group, praising their championship ambitions — another positive sign.

With the Slovenian superstar poised to take the reins as the future face of the franchise, the Purple & Gold could soon be in a position to chase a second generational star — Giannis Antetokounmpo — especially after Milwaukee’s risky offseason moves.

Could Milwaukee’s $113 million gamble push Giannis to LA?

Back in March, The Athletic’s Sam Amick revealed, the “most obvious target” is Giannis Antetokounmpo, between him and Jokic, if the Lakers choose to make a “big swing”. That possibility seems more real now, after the Bucks made a shocking move to waive and stretch Damian Lillard, absorbing a $113 million dead money hit to create space to sign Myles Turner. And according to Buha, that decision may come back to haunt Milwaukee.

“Milwaukee did some desperate things this summer by waving and stretching Damian Lillard, which I still don’t understand. I’m still processing the shock of that. I think that was a giant mistake and one that is going to sink them in a few years,” said Buha. “But they did that to try to appease Giannis and clear up the space to sign Myles Turner to the contract that he signed to. But I also think that I think it’s fair value for Myles Turner, but Myles Turner is not changing the trajectory of the Milwaukee Bucks. If he is your second-best player”.

In the aftermath of Lillard being waived, reports emerged that Giannis was “not pleased” by the Bucks‘ decision. However, if the remaining $113 million on his contract weren’t stretched, a Turner acquisition would have been impossible. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne claimed that the ‘Greek Freak’ did not know about Lillard, “but he did know about Myles Turner, and I think he was excited about Myles Turner.”

Myles Turner himself showed excitement about the new partnership, stating, “I do know that he expressed to the front office his interest in playing with me. The interest is mutual”.

However, as Buha highlighted, it would have been a different thing if Turner had come in while Lillard was still there. After all, the former Pacers player will not be enough to make the Bucks better, especially without Lillard. During the 2024-25 NBA season, Myles averaged 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in all his 72 games as a starter. He shot 5.4-11.3 (48.1%) field goals, 2.2-5.5 (39.6%) 3-pointers, and 2.6-3.3 (77.3%) free throws. Without Lillard, the Bucks may not have enough firepower — and if they exit early again next postseason, Giannis will have serious questions to ask about his future.

If Giannis does seek a new chapter, Los Angeles is well-positioned. With Luka likely extending, the Lakers would already have their next franchise centerpiece in place. Add Giannis to the mix — whether alongside LeBron or as his successor — and LA instantly returns to super team status.

Stylistically, Giannis and Luka are very different, but potentially complementary. Luka’s control of the half court and elite passing would pair well with Giannis’ transition dominance and defensive presence. Together, they’d form one of the most terrifying inside-out combinations in the league. Of course, fit and spacing would need to be managed — both players need the ball, and neither is a knockdown off-ball shooter — but for a team with championship aspirations, that’s a challenge worth figuring out.