LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been predicted to make trade requests this season.
Both LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s off-seasons have been clouded by rumours of the superstars leaving their respective teams, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks.
James is upset by the Lakers’ lack of urgency. He seeks his fifth NBA championship as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer nears retirement. But the Lakers eye the summer of 2027 to build around their newly acquired superstar, Luka Doncic.
Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo considered leaving Milwaukee as the team struggled to build a championship contender around him. The Bucks have been knocked out of the first round of the playoffs in two straight seasons despite Antetokounmpo’s elite-level play.
An NBA reporter predicted that both will request trades midseason.
LeBron James is predicted to request a trade from the LA Lakers
For the first time in his 22-year NBA career, James is on an expiring contract. He opted into a $52.6 million player option this offseason, which would make him a free agent in 2026.
James has a great relationship with Doncic, and reports that he is upset that the Lakers are building around the Slovenian superstar appear unfounded. Having said that, James has never been anything other than the number one option on his team.
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes said that when faced with the reality of playing second fiddle to Doncic, James will ask out of LA.
He wrote, “The anointment of Luka Doncic, the failure to reach an offseason extension, the refusal of the front office to go all-in for rotation help this past summer—all of it points to a LeBron James exit.
“While it’s true James has non-basketball reasons to remain based in L.A., it’s still hard to imagine him accepting status as something other than the most important figure in the franchise for a full year. Especially if the Lakers aren’t a top-flight contender.
“Maybe if Los Angeles was loaded with star talent, James could talk himself into accepting a more supplementary role—one that still might evolve into him taking over playoff games in the spring. But the West is loaded.”
The West is indeed loaded. Kevin Durant’s trade to the Houston Rockets, the Denver Nuggets’ retooling after trading Michael Porter Jr. and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s re-signing of their three stars make winning the West a daunting prospect.
The East, however, is weak. But Antetokounmpo could also leave his team despite playing in the weaker conference.
Giannis Antetokounmpo could request a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks, says a reporter
Antetokounmpo is in a totally different position in Milwaukee. There’s no question he’s the main man. He’s at worst the third-best player in the NBA, a two-time MVP and a champion. But after the Bucks waived Damian Lillard, he needs help.
Yes, the Bucks signed Myles Turner from the Indiana Pacers, but that’s not a needle mover to make Milwaukee contenders in the East. Hughes thinks that’s the reason he’ll request a trade from Milwaukee, even though Antetokounmpo loves it there.
He wrote, “Though Giannis Antetokounmpo has typically applied pressure to the Bucks in the offseason, which he did again this year by leaving his future plans undefined, he’s going to see the writing on the wall during the 2025-26 campaign and conclude there’s only one correct reaction.”
Antetokounmpo isn’t a free agent until the summer of 2027. But if he requests a trade this season, that will give the Bucks a season and a half to trade him. His value would only decrease as Antetokounmpo gets closer to the end of his contract, and he would be available for free.
There’s a host of potential suitors for Antetokounmpo, including the Golden State Warriors. His reported unhappiness with his situation in Milwaukee has been a driving factor for almost all of the major offseason moves this summer.
If he were to ask out, expect mammoth trade offers to be sent the Bucks’ way.