We are eyeing Antetokounmpo again! The Lakers bet on the super three giants, James, are you still retiring?

Recently, there have been many speculations and trading rumors about Reeves' future direction in the Lakers. According to the current labor-management agreement, the Lakers can only provide Reeves with a four-year contract renewal contract totaling no more than $89.2 million in this offseason, of which the annual salary in the first year is as high as $19.9 million, which is equivalent to 140% of the league's average salary. Faced with such a contract, if I were Reeves, I might be inclined to temporarily put the renewal on the matter. After all, he has the opportunity to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026, when he can sign a more generous contract with the Lakers or other teams, with an annual salary of even as much as $42.5 million in the first year, or 25% of the salary cap. Currently, Reeves' contract with the Lakers will last until 2027, and his average annual salary in the next two years is $14.4 million.

Although Reeves struggled slightly in the playoffs this season, his regular season statistics have improved significantly compared to last season, which has also made him the focus of many teams. By strengthening psychological construction and improving the ability to cope at critical moments, we have reason to believe that Reeves can show more stable performance in the future playoffs.

According to Sports Illustrated, Reeves and the Lakers management are expected to have in-depth communication on the future development direction of the two sides during the offseason. For the Lakers, they need to make major decisions this summer to determine whether Reeves will continue to be one of the team’s core members.

At the same time, Sports Illustrated reporter Ricardo Sandoval also wrote an article to look forward to the Lakers' operations this summer. He predicts that the Lakers will take major measures this summer to return to the championship ranks. Such a move is likely to revolve around equipping James and Doncic with a strong center. A suitable center will greatly relieve the pressure on the East James combination on both sides of the offense and defense, especially James, who will no longer have to play the No. 5 position for a long time like this season's playoffs. After all, for James, who is already 41 years old, if he devotes too much energy to the defensive end, it will inevitably affect his performance on the offensive end. Looking back on 2013, he might be able to do it with ease, but now everything is very different. When discussing a potential big deal in the basketball world, we have to mention James, who showed his ultimate level on both offense and defense.

Recently, Yahoo Sports' senior reporter Eddie Bitar conceived a prominent trade proposal: The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to include the "Greek Monster" Antetokounmpo, and in exchange, the Milwaukee Bucks will gain Reeves, Hachimura, Vanderbilt, Kneckett and the 2031 first-round draft picks, plus the swap rights of the 2026 first-round draft picks. Faced with such bargaining chips, whether the Bucks management will respond positively has undoubtedly become the focus of hot discussion among fans and the media.

Although there are theoretical possibilities, the chances of the Lakers successfully introducing Antetokounmpo are actually very slim. According to the analysis of well-known reporter Evan Sidery, the Bucks still rank first in the list of potential next-generation probability rankings next season, followed by the Warriors, Rockets, Spurs and Lakers. After the season was settled, authoritative reporter Shams Charania further revealed that the Bucks have had in-depth dialogues with Antetokounmpo about the future, and their final choice will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the NBA league pattern in the offseason, and may even indirectly influence James' decision to renew his contract. Just imagine, if the Lakers could miraculously attract Antetokounmpo, James might have the idea of ​​extending his career due to the strengthening of his team's strength; on the contrary, if the Lakers cannot introduce powerful new players, the significance of James' continued persistence may be greatly reduced.

Talking about the core driving force for James to remain in the NBA, his son Brownie undoubtedly plays a vital position. Recently, Brownie expressed his full preparation for the new season in an interview: "I firmly believe that only by perseverance can we ignore the noise of the outside world and focus on self-improvement. Day after day, the morning light has risen in a faint light and continue yesterday's sweat with unremitting efforts." At the same time, James warmly paid tribute to the two mothers at home on social media to celebrate the arrival of Mother's Day. His wife Savanna also shared a happy photo of the family of five, and the picture was full of warmth.

As for James' personal recovery progress, he is still in the recovery stage since G5 unfortunately suffered a knee sprain in the first round of the playoffs and is expected to return to the training ground in early June. At that time, fans are expected to witness James' training style on the court through social media and look forward to the return of the basketball master.