James Worthy doesn’t hold back on Los Angeles Lakers’ Giannis Antetokounmpo dream

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks continue to dominate offseason speculation as trade rumors surrounding the two-time MVP gain momentum. The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to be among the teams pursuing Antetokounmpo, as the franchise looks to strengthen its roster around Luka Doncic.

With the Lakers focused on maximizing the championship window of their superstar guard, adding a player of Antetokounmpo’s caliber is viewed as a potential path toward building a legitimate title contender.

As the NBA Finals have gotten underway, Lakers legend James Worthy has been making media appearances and discussing his former team’s outlook. When asked what the Lakers need alongside Luka Doncic, Worthy strongly argued that the Lakers must add a dominant interior presence, pointing specifically to the type of impact that the Greek Freak could provide in the paint, according to the Road Trippin’ Show.

“Unless we get a killer big,” Worthy commented during his appearance.

James Worthy on the Lakers – Giannis Antetokounmpo situation

Former NBA player and current analyst Kendrick Perkins then brought up another possibility, asking Worthy whether Daniel Gafford could be the type of frontcourt addition the Lakers need, potentially pairing the center with Doncic once again after their previous stint together.

“No, we need a Giannis. We need a superstar. We gotta have it. But in order to get that, I don’t know if we can keep Austin,” the Lakers legend responded.

Worthy also understands that any serious pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo would likely require the Lakers to part with Reaves. Given the caliber of trade packages that rival teams could put together this offseason, Worthy acknowledged that Los Angeles may have to sacrifice one of its most valuable assets to realistically enter the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.

Despite the focus on Antetokounmpo, Worthy also identified Isaiah Hartenstein as a player who could significantly help the Lakers. The former Lakers star believes the Oklahoma City Thunder center would address several of Los Angeles’ frontcourt needs and provide a strong interior presence alongside Luka Doncic moving forward.

“I would take just not a top-notch center, but something like a [Isaiah] Hartenstein,” the three-time NBA Champion continued. “I’d take somebody who’s a Perkins, somebody that can come in there and slap people around.”