The domino that hasn't fallen during this NBA offseason was Giannis Antetokounmpo requesting a trade away from the Milwaukee Bucks. The Los Angeles Lakers, and every other team in the league, is waiting for the two-time NBA MVP to finally clue in on how bleak his future looks like in Wisconsin.
Antetokounmpo has described himself as a winner in the past. If that was truly his biggest priority then the Bucks superstar should be due to clue in on the fact that Milwaukee does not offer him the opportunity to live up to that desired status anymore.
Shams Charania joined Get Up on ESPN on Monday to discuss the Antetokounmpo situation. Frustratingly, the update did not deliver any short of meaningful traction in either direction for the former NBA Finals MVP.
"Sources tell me there's still nothing set in stone about whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will stay in Milwaukee or whether he will be leaving," Charania told viewers. "He's continuing to evaluate his future. ... He wants to win a second championship."
Giannis Antetokounmpo will need to relocate for another NBA title
Charania mentioned that Antetokounmpo keeps asking himself whether this Bucks roster is one with which another championship can be won. With all due respect to Giannis, that is not a difficult question to answer. Everyone can confidently see what Milwaukee has is not enough.
The NBA world is waiting on Antetokounmpo to figure that out for himself. Perhaps it is difficult to finally pull the trigger on a decision to leave the only NBA team that one has played for during a 12-year career. However, the toughest choices are usually the most rewarding in the long run.
The Bucks have suffered three-straight first round exits. The roster around Antetokounmpo has continued to struggle in its effectiveness since the 2021 NBA championship. Waiving Damian Lillard and signing Myles Turner will not be the fix that changes that.
Is Myles Turner about to get Jerami Grant’d?
(Signs for a massive sum of money to play alongside a star that gets traded)— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) August 4, 2025
What will finally give Antetokounmpo a rejuvenated championship window is a change of scenery. The Lakers would love for that moment to involve the palm trees and dazzle of Los Angeles.
Rob Pelinka and his franchise do not have the most attractive trade package that can be offered for the Greek Freak. However, they are not without assets altogether.
The Lakers would need an assist from Antetokounmpo in specifically demanding a deal to Los Angeles. Should that be the case, it would quickly end their search for a superstar running mate to fill the void next to Luka Doncic after the eventual departure of LeBron James.
Doncic has committed to the Lakers for the foreseeable future. What better way to reward that loyalty than by pairing Luka with another one of the NBA's top talents?
