Lakers Mega 5-Team Trade Pitch Forms $340 Million Duo Around Luka Doncic

The offseason will bring a lot of opportunities that the Los Angeles Lakers can hope to exploit to land a contention-worthy piece.

The franchise aims to build around Luka Doncic and it may require them to move some players for a big-name star to be added. 

According to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, one ambitious scenario involves the Lakers landing two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks by facilitating a complex five-team trade. The deal also sees LeBron James being moved.

In this proposed deal, the Dallas Mavericks receive James and Bronny James from the Lakers, along with Andre Jackson Jr. from the Bucks and other supporting pieces like Drew Timme. 

The Lakers get Antetokounmpo from the Bucks plus salary exceptions tied to Dalton Knecht ($4 million) and Bronny ($2 million).

The Bucks would acquire RJ Barrett from the Toronto Raptors, PJ Washington, Caleb Martin, and Naji Marshall from the Mavericks, plus multiple first-round swap rights and picks from the Lakers (2026 swap, 2026 second-rounder via Toronto, 2028 swap, 2030 swap, 2031 first-rounder and 2032 swap). 

The Raptors in turn get Daniel Gafford from the Mavericks and a $13.3 million trade exception related to Barrett. Finally, the Brooklyn Nets receive Knecht from the Lakers, Dwight Powell from the Mavericks and additional assets to balance the salaries.

This structure is a complex one involving many players but it allows salary balancing across each franchise.

How the Lakers Can Get Bucks Star

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 09: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks runs past Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers for a dunk during a 105-101 Bucks win at Crypto.com Arena on January 09, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

The Lakers will have to absorb a significant salary to sign Antetokounmpo. The Greek superstar is on a three-year $175 million deal he signed in 2023 and he has a player option for the 2027-28 season. 

Antetokounmpo will earn roughly $58 million next season, which means significant cap implications for any acquiring team. The Lakers would need precise salary matching and exceptions to complete such a deal without exceeding key limits.

One scenario is the addition of James to the trade list. He will enter unrestricted free agency this offseason and moving him will clear a significant cap space of up to $50 million. 

“James, who has a no-trade clause, allows the trade to Dallas and waives his trade bonus to keep the team under its second-apron hard cap ($207.8 million),” Pincus added. “The Lakers use the expanded trade exception from James to take in Antetokounmpo, while staying under their first-apron hard cap ($195.7 million).”

This of course has to hinge on James actually wanting to go to Dallas. The 41-year-old superstar has always maintained that he still wants to play in a contending roster and the Mavericks are looking more like a rebuilding one. 

A New Superstar Duo for the Lakers

GettyGiannis Antetokounmpo posts up Luka Doncic during a Bucks-Lakers matchup as trade speculation continues to link the two stars in Los Angeles.

Pairing Antetokounmpo and Doncic is a fantasy-level duo, one that sums up why the Lakers have to engage in a proposed five-team trade to land the Bucks superstar. 

“The chance to pair Antetokounmpo with Doncic is a no-brainer for the Lakers,” Pincus wrote. “The relationship with James is nearing an end; L.A. didn’t offer him a two-year deal this summer, prompting James to opt in. For a superstar accustomed to almost always getting what he wants contractually, James has obviously noticed the shift from the James to Doncic eras.”

It looks like the Lakers’ front office decision for a blockbuster trade will hinge on whether James remains to decide to move on. If he stays they can only negotiate a reduced deal in order to accommodate any marquee trade like Antetokounmpo’s.

The Lakers are not alone in the pursuit of Antetokounmpo and as such, they will need to act fast to make a deal happen with Milwaukee. 

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