If Giannis Antetokounmpo ever decides to move on from Milwaukee, his next destination may already be taking shape—not just based on basketball fit, but market size, and the Los Angeles Clippers are certainly in the market.
“I poked around a little bit,” The Ringer’s Howard Beck recently said, “and the initial thing I got … was just some rumblings that it’s already just the big cities.”
Milwaukee, while technically a large U.S. city, doesn’t carry the same market weight or glamor as places like New York, Los Angeles, or Miami—three destinations reportedly on Antetokounmpo’s radar.
“One of the LA teams or one of the New York teams or maybe Miami—not a big market, but a glamour market, mid-size market,” Beck added. “So, first is like: Where does Giannis want to go? And do they honor that?”
Can The Los Angeles Clippers Compete With Other Large Markets?
That question looms large. While Antetokounmpo’s star power could give him considerable sway, the Bucks would have their own priorities if the partnership ends. They’d seek a historic haul in return—loaded with young talent and draft capital.
That could complicate matters for the Lakers or Clippers, who are short on both. Still, few players in the NBA command the kind of leverage Giannis does. If he makes it clear he wants to land in Los Angeles, the pressure would be on the Bucks—and other teams—to accommodate.
In that scenario, L.A. may hold more of a hand than the asset sheets suggest.