Dallas Mavericks lose Kostas Antetokounmpo to the Lakers

Dallas Mavericks draft pick Kostas Antetokounmpo was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Lakers on July 21 according to Shams Charania.

Dallas Mavericks fans loved the 2018 draft pick of Kostas Antetokounmpo. They had dreams that the 6’11 forward would turn into a superstar like his brother Giannis. It was viewed as a gamble on a player with an extremely high upside.

Supporters forget the other side of that coin, though. There was a reason Kostas was available at pick 60 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. He was a player that was not ready for an NBA role. Antetokounmpo needed time to develop. The Mavs took that gamble.

Kostas Antetokounmpo improved tremendously during his time in a Mavericks uniform. Fans saw flashes with the Texas Legends in the G-League last season. His limited minutes in Dallas were a sign that he was still a ways away from NBA readiness, though.

Mavs fans knew Antetokounmpo could be on the chopping block after his performance in the Las Vegas Summer League. He only played 13.5 minutes per game on a team full of young talent eager to make an NBA roster.

Ultimately, the Dallas Mavericks decided they liked the upside of Daryl Macon and Josh Reaves over Antetokounmpo. There were no hard feelings, though. Here is what Mavs GM Donnie Nelson had to say courtesy of Bobby Karalla.

The upside of Antetokounmpo did not sit on the waiver wire long, though. According to Shams Charania, the Los Angeles Lakers swooped in and claimed him. The two sides quickly agreed to a two-way contract. That means Kostas will see most of his action with the South Bay Lakers in the G-League during the 2019-2020 season.

The Smoking Cuban wishes Kostas Antetokounmpo well. The flashes of potential were evident during his time in Dallas, but it will take him time to develop into a nightly NBA rotation player. Hopefully, the Lakers can unlock that potential. It would be awesome to see Kostas battling Giannis on an NBA floor in the future.