Skepticism mounts over pairing Giannis and Luka.
The Los Angeles Lakers have their eyes on a huge offseason, and the biggest name on their radar is Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
With the Bucks sitting at 23-30 and Giannis dealing with a lingering calf injury, the writing could be on the wall for the two-time MVP's time in Milwaukee.
The Lakers believe they are on a "very short list" of teams that could land Antetokounmpo if he becomes available this summer, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
Not everybody is sold on the idea, though, and former NBA champion Danny Green is one of the skeptics.
Green Questions the Fit
On ESPN's NBA Today, Green shared his doubts about pairing Giannis with Luka Doncic in Los Angeles, saying the two superstars might not mesh the way fans hope.
"This fit with Giannis and Luka, I don't know if it works," Green said on the show. "I was kind of skeptical with even LeBron and Luka, but Bron's a high-IQ guy, more of a passer. Giannis needs the ball, he's more of a transition guy. Luka's more of a halfcourt, slow it down, but he also needs the ball."
Green's concern comes down to both players needing the ball in their hands to be at their best, and the fact that Doncic and Antetokounmpo play at very different speeds.
Doncic is averaging 32.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.6 assists per game this season while leading the Lakers to a 33-21 record, which is good for fifth in the Western Conference.
Giannis, meanwhile, has put up 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in 30 games for the Bucks, but his season has been cut short multiple times by injuries.
Doncic likes to slow things down in the halfcourt and control the pace, while Giannis thrives when he is running in transition and attacking the rim with the ball in his hands.
That contrast in style is what has Green worried about the pairing, even though both players are clearly among the best in the league.
What the Lakers Could Offer
The Lakers set themselves up nicely for a big offseason move by staying quiet at the February trade deadline, only picking up sharpshooter Luke Kennard in a minor deal.
Los Angeles will have three tradable first-round picks this summer in 2026, 2031 and 2033, along with roughly $51 million in projected cap space if LeBron James does not return on his expiring $52.6 million deal.
A trade package for Giannis would likely center around those picks, and the Lakers could also include Austin Reaves in a sign-and-trade scenario if Milwaukee is looking for a young, proven player in return.
The Bucks have been open to listening to offers for Antetokounmpo, but they held onto him at the deadline after not receiving what they felt was a franchise-altering offer.
Is Star Power Enough?
Green initially admitted that any team should go after Giannis if he is available, but he ultimately sided with the idea that the fit in Los Angeles just does not make a lot of sense.
Paul Pierce, Green's co-host, pushed back even harder, saying he has never seen Giannis play well off the ball alongside a ball-dominant guard.
"I don't think it's a good fit," Pierce said. "I've never seen Giannis play with a ball-dominant guard. He's more effective when he's going downhill, having the ball at the top of the key, and I don't see Luka just kind of spotting up."
History has shown that putting two ball-dominant superstars together does not always lead to success, even though the talent level makes it tempting.
The Lakers already went through a version of this when they paired Doncic with LeBron James after the blockbuster trade from Dallas in February 2025, and while the two have coexisted, the team still lost in the first round of the playoffs last spring.
For a franchise that is fully committed to building around Doncic long-term, the smarter move might be to surround him with shooters and defenders who let him do what he does best rather than bringing in another star who needs the ball just as much.
The offseason is still months away, and a lot can change between now and then, but the conversation around Giannis to the Lakers is only going to get louder as the Bucks continue to slide.