The Houston Rockets made an under-the-radar move this offseason when they returned a highly valuable 2025 first-round pick from the tanking Brooklyn Nets for multiple unprotected future first-round picks which belong to the Phoenix Suns. Many expected the Rockets to acquire these picks to entice the Suns into a potential Kevin Durant trade, but the franchise is holding onto the 36-year-old forward.
NBA insider Marc Stein has revealed that the Suns have made their desire to keep Durant on their franchise clear to the Rockets and other franchises, prompting Houston to keep an eye on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s potential availability from the Milwaukee Bucks.
“No matter how adamant Phoenix has remained about its desire to keep Durant in the desert. The following expansion of the conversation was inevitable given the various combinations of rising prospects and draft picks that the Rockets can assemble in theoretical trade offers, but similar whispers have begun to percolate among rival teams monitoring a potential down-the-road Houston pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo.”
We recently ranked some of the best potential offers the Milwaukee Bucks could receive if they made Giannis available for trade, with my personal opinion being the Rockets have one of the best potential offers for the two-time MVP due to their dearth of valuable draft assets and young players.
As long as they control future picks from the Suns, they’ll be the first team the Suns call if they plan on moving off Durant, as they can control their own future by having their own picks instead of relying on some other team who they send Durant to. But if Giannis is made available before Durant, the Rockets would be foolish not to pounce and acquire one of this generation’s best players.
Giannis is averaging 32.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists this season, although the Bucks have been in a tailspin with a 4-9 record so far this season. The team has a very bleak future outlook as they don’t control any of their picks until 2031 and have an aging core who are bound to regress if they haven’t already.
Durant is averaging 27.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists this season, as the Suns are sitting pretty with a 9-5 record to start the season. He was recently ruled out with an injury and has missed the team’s last two games, both ending in losses for the franchise, further highlighting his importance to their on-court success.
The Suns won’t trade Durant away until their team implodes or the two-time Finals MVP directly asks out. Giannis shouldn’t be moved by the Bucks unless he explicitly asks for a trade, in which situation Houston might be a destination both the team and the players will be satisfied with.
The Rockets are in a big market, have a coach respected by players around the NBA, and have the building blocks of a future contender given their 10-4 start to the season. Both the Suns and Bucks are franchises that have overly invested in their current cores, so any team offering a major asset haul could have a shot at acquiring one of the two superstars if they break the bank.
The Rockets have reportedly targeted these superstar players since the summer with very little noise about lower-tier All-Stars linked to the franchise. If they make a move, it’ll likely be for a superstar.
The question is, will the Bucks make Giannis available before the Suns do the same with Durant, and will the Rockets be forced to overpay conditional on what offers other teams prepare for these stars? It’ll be fascinating to see what happens.
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