Bringing Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Los Angeles Lakers would undoubtedly alter the balance of power in the NBA, but is it possible?

At first, it does seem quite unlikely. The once-improbable possibility has become more plausible in light of reports that Giannis himself has expressed “interest” in maybe joining the Lakers (or the New York Knicks) should he decide to switch ship.

According to one NBA official, the Lakers do have a chance to sign Giannis if they play their cards right. But they’ll have to give up a lot to make this agreement work. The source claims that in order for the Lakers to get Giannis Antetokounmpo, they will have to trade Anthony Davis to the Bucks.

Executive: “I don’t see (the Lakers) getting LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Giannis all together on a team,” as reported by Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports. Either LeBron will have retired by then, or Giannis and Davis will switch places. Davis is originally from Chicago, although he has expressed interest in a move to Milwaukee. Davis, when fully recovered, is arguably even more formidable than Giannis.

Simply said, health reasons. The Lakers, in order to acquire Giannis, would have to first convince Milwaukee that AD is healthy before completing the trade. If LeBron is still available, it would be foolish to try to sign him in free agency.

The only way he gets to Los Angeles, in my opinion, is if they trade him for Davis.

This scenario has some validity when attempting to make sense of a mind-boggling blockbuster trade. There’s no way LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Giannis Antetokounmpo would all play together on the Lakers, but if the team is serious about signing the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, it will have to wait until after James retires.

While Giannis’ current agreement with the Bucks expires in the summer of 2020 (unless he signs an extension next summer), LeBron’s current contract goes until 2025 (with a player option following season).  The sequence of events makes sense.

The foregoing scenario, however, suggests that the Lakers are not likely to sign Antetokounmpo in free agency, making a trade the more likely option. According to the anonymous executive, Anthony Davis “was open” to relocating to Milwaukee, and this is the key conclusion from the comment. This bombshell was not accompanied by any supporting evidence from the source, but if true, it would certainly increase the likelihood of this superstar exchange.

Additional Wisconsin-Related Sports Coverage:

Those interested can follow me, @PaoloSongcoNBA, and us, @WiSportsHeroics, on Twitter. Browse our Products Here, Too! Discount of 20% is available with the promo code “WSH.” Paolo Songco also maintains an email address ([email protected]) for communication. Click here to read more of our stories covering all the newest Wisconsin sports news. The Wisconsin Badgers, Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Brewers, and the Green Bay Packers.