With the basketball world shocked after Luka Doncic was shipped to the Lakers, it begs the query if one other blockbuster commerce might come out of nowhere.
De’Aaron Fox went to the Spurs and Zach Lavine to the Kings as a part of a three-team deal on Sunday and Jimmy Butler may very well be dealt by Thursday’s commerce deadline — however these have each been long-rumored.
The Doncic deal utterly blindsided all people, even the Jazz who have been concerned within the commerce.
Maybe that is the start of a development — one the place no single participant within the league is actually untouchable and the sport’s greatest superstars might find yourself within the recreation’s greatest markets.
Giannis Antetokounmpo appears to suppose so — and he’s not against the thought.
“Now that a European will be the face of the Lakers, this is something new for Europe … I love it,” Antetokounmpo stated. “You know what I want? I want Luka to the Lakers. I want [Nikola] Jokic to the Knicks. I want all the Europeans to go to all the big markets.”
Whereas Antetokounmpo did have a little bit of a lighthearted, frivolous tone when he stated this, it may not all be enjoyable and video games.
Whereas there actually haven’t been rumors at any level in Jokic’s profession surrounding him within the commerce market, Antetokounmpo’s identify has swirled a lot.
After successful the 2021 NBA Finals, Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks have been trending downward and have been bounced in six video games by the Pacers within the first spherical a season in the past.
That got here after the arrival of Damian Lillard — with the addition of a second star not serving to the Bucks’ title run.
The Greek native is now on his third head coach in that point with Doc Rivers now working the crew.
After a poor 2-8 begin to this season, the rumors round Antetokounmpo’s future resurfaced with big-market groups on the forefront.
Antetokounmpo has expressed frustration together with his crew prior to now following losses to the Knicks, like again in November when he stated, “We didn’t compete at all,” and simply three weeks in the past when he stated, “We gotta get our stuff together.”
He even supplied very excessive reward to Knicks celebrity Jalen Brunson, saying he’s, “One of the best players in the league.”
Antetokounmpo’s desires and desires from the Bucks group have been largely all met prior to now.
If his need of European stars being the face of the large markets carries any weight, he might wind up being concerned within the subsequent mega-blockbuster NBA deal down the street.
