Will the Milwaukee Bucks trade Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason? It’s a fair question. After all, the Bucks haven’t lived up to expectations since making their all-in trade for Damian Lillard, who’s now set to miss a good chunk of next season after tearing his Achilles.
If the Bucks trade Antetokounmpo, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst believes the Houston Rockets are uniquely positioned to land the two-time MVP.
“I want to point two teams out to you: The San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets. Both of them are in the lottery. I know Houston is still playing. They might win tonight. They’re in the lottery. They have Phoenix’s pick […], they have a whole bunch of pieces on their roster. What if they hop up into that top-four? Look out there.”
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on Giannis Antetokounmpo trade to Houston Rockets
The Rockets do have a strong collection of young talent, which could appeal to the Bucks via trade. They also have several tradeable future first-round picks, and if they can get some lotto luck, this year’s selection could be viewed as especially valuable.
From Antetokounmpo’s perspective, why not Houston? They’re already a playoff contender without him, so as long as they don’t part with key pieces that fit well around him, the Rockets should theoretically be able to become a top contender if Antetokounmpo is added to the roster.
Plus, there’s always the added benefit of Texas not having any income tax, which would allow Antetokounmpo to retain a lot more of the $54.1 million salary he’s set to make next season. Needless to say, if both sides are open to a split, the Rockets make a lot of sense as a potential landing spot for one of the NBA’s best players.
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