The NBA world was in shock on Saturday night when the Dallas Mavericks traded Slovenian star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a massive three-team deal that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas. This trade, possibly the biggest and most surprising in NBA history, saw the 25-year-old five-time All-NBA forward join one of basketball’s most storied franchises.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks superstar, had a lot to say about the trade. As a fellow European megastar alongside Doncic and Nikola Jokic, Giannis has earned his place among the league’s elite. While he’s been content in Milwaukee, his reaction to the trade raises some interesting questions.

Giannis emphasized that players should always prioritize what’s best for their careers, as organizations will move on from anyone if it benefits them. He also expressed excitement about a European player becoming the face of the Lakers, noting how historic it was for Europe. Giannis explained, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic:

“Let me say something funny, because I took it seriously… Now that a European will be, I believe, the face of the Lakers, this is something new for Europe. We had Pau Gasol, who was obviously a great player. And how do you say — Vujacic? Sasha Vujacic? — great guy, one of my close friends, but I mess up his name all the time. Now, I just love it. You know what I want? I want Luka to the Lakers, I want Jokic to the Knicks. I want all the Europeans to go to all the big markets to see something incredible. This is what I want. This is my dream. But again, I wish both teams the best of luck, wish all the players best of luck with their journey moving forward.”

Giannis often cracks jokes like this in the media, but his comments could spark speculation about his future in Milwaukee. Trade rumors have followed Giannis in the past, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them again.

The Greek superstar still has two guaranteed years left on his contract after this season, with a player option for a third year. However, the Lakers could free up max cap space in 2027, possibly making a pairing between Giannis and Doncic a reality.

Luka Doncic’s Lakers jersey officially for sale While Luka Doncic’s Lakers debut may take some time, his No. 77 Lakers jersey is already available for purchase. The jersey, which is expected to be a hit with fans, will likely propel Luka to the top of merchandise sales.