Giannis Antetokounmpo is back on the trade boards. League insiders report that the Greek forward and his management are in discussions with the Milwaukee Bucks’ front office about the franchise’s future. There’s a growing sense that patience might be running thin. Are we really surprised, though?

This situation has also set up the stage for a possible exit before the February trade deadline, and, as usual, one team dominates trade scenarios: the Los Angeles Lakers. However, one problem prevents this from happening: franchise legend Shaquille O’Neal.

Indeed, if Antetokounmpo ever plans to don the Purple and Gold, he would have to let go of something deeply personal. We’re referring to the number on his back. Indeed, as any Lakers fan knows, #34 is retired by the franchise because of O’Neal’s dominant three-peat run with the team.

But why would Antetokounmpo not give up this number, and what’s stopping him from playing in LA?

Jersey numbers are what give individual identity to a sport. This includes team success and culture as significant parts of many teams’ image. Think of the Miami Heat, whose ‘Heat Culture’ motto is so integral that it found its way to the team’s City jerseys.

But here lies the problem: Giannis Antetokounmpo is unwilling to change his number.

“A lot of people think I wear it because of Hakeem [Olajuwon], no,” he explained in March. “I wear it because of my parents… I took the three and the four, 34.”

Antetokounmpo refers to the birth years of his parents, Veronica, born in 1963, and Charles, born in 1964, and also added that his brother Thanasis reversed the order, choosing #43.

To make matters worse, the Greek Freak has also commented on his feelings about LA.

Back in 2018, Antetokounmpo told host Colin Cowherd he didn’t think he would play in big markets like Los Angeles, and, more recently, after having dinner at Catch in LA, he made another surprising comment to TMZ.

“This city’s not for me,” the Bucks star said after paying his dinner bill.

This, combined with the Lakers possessing only one tradable first-round pick, is likely to be denied by the Bucks. So, any arrival of the All-NBA forward in Los Angeles looks unlikely. However, that’s not going to stop the rumors, especially given the recent reports.

Inside the latest Giannis Antetokounmpo trade reports and his most likely destination

The primary reason for reopening conversations between Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks is that he is “frustrated over the recent losing,” according to NBA insider Shams Charania.

Charania also added that he was told by one source that this is the “writing on the wall” for the 30-year-old superstar.

To make things worse for Lakers fans, there’s a much easier destination for Antetokounmpo, both in terms of trade and personal interest: The New York Knicks.

Those who followed this offseason closely will remember that in August, Charania reported that the only team Antetokounmpo expressed interest in being traded to was the Knicks, but the deal fell through.

In terms of returns, they can easily facilitate a trade involving a package of Karl-Anthony Towns, Pacome Dadiet, and the Knicks’ 2026 first-round pick.

Towns is a solid piece if the Bucks decide to keep him, and if not, he can easily recoup his value by putting up good stats with his unique mix of shooting and interior scoring.

All in all, any Giannis Antetokounmpo trade to the Lakers looks unlikely, but only time will tell how this situation plays out.