As Giannis Antetokounmpo mulls his future with the Milwaukee Bucks, some fans have been pushing the Lakers to make a move and acquire the 2x MVP if they can. While Giannis has a lot to gain from joining the Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal made the case that he should think twice before donning the Purple and Gold.
“I would tell him that, probably, a bigger market doesn’t matter. Social media is the market now. Giannis has made a name for himself on social media,” said O’Neal on the ‘Good Will’ Podcast. “If you go to L.A., 50% of your contract goes to taxes, more pressure and more stress. Being that he’s in control of that ship, he should go upstairs and be like ‘I want to see all the free agents, I want phone numbers and I want to talk to them.’ He should bring people to him. When I was coming up, it was small market was too small, probably needed to go to a big market. But now, every market is the same. Nobody cares what city you’re in, this ain’t the ’90s.”
The Lakers have always been considered a desirable location for NBA free agents. Shaq was lured there in 1996 after a short stint with the Magic. As a Laker, Shaq experienced the greatest heights of his career, winning three championships with Kobe Bryant to immortalize his basketball legacy.
O’Neal didn’t leave the Lakers on the best of terms, but he’s still recognized today as one of their greatest players ever, and he knows more than most about what it’s like to play for the iconic organization. While you might think Shaq would try his hardest to sell Giannis on the Lakers, it seems he’s gone the other way instead to warn him about the experience.
Contrary to popular thinking, being a Laker isn’t for everyone, and it requires a certain level of patience and focus. Besides being in a large market like Los Angeles, with plenty of distractions, playing for the Lakers also comes with the added pressure of playing to a higher standard.
With 17 champions in franchise history, Lakers fans expect nothing less than greatness from their team, and when things go wrong, the environment can turn downright toxic. This is exactly what happened with Russell Westbrook when he was scapegoated and ridiculed by the fanbase after a disastrous season.
With that reality and the added sting of California taxes, joining the Lakers does come with some major drawbacks that a guy like Giannis may not want to accept. Instead of having to worry about any of that, Giannis could just stay with the Bucks, where he has total control of the situation.
In Milwaukee, Giannis has the unique position of being able to call the shots and having the franchise cater to his every whim. Plus, he has the added benefit of being adored by the fanbase since he already led the franchise to a title back in 2021.
With another three years and $174 million on his contract, Giannis would only be traded if he forced his way out, but there may not be a better situation for him right now. With the Bucks, Giannis has stability, familiarity, and a promise from the front office to build up the roster. The Lakers would only bring unneeded stress for Giannis and put him under pressure to succeed at every turn.
