Giannis Antetokounmpo, despite reportedly stating his intention to stay with the Bucks, has once again found himself amidst rampant trade rumors. Latest reports have indicated that Antetokounmpo’s days with the Milwaukee Bucks are “numbered” and the Greek superstar could be on his way out of the franchise soon.
While the New York Knicks remain the only team that Antetokounmpo has accepted being interested in joining, insiders are also naming the San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets as potential suitors for him. According to ESPN Insider Bobby Marks, the Spurs and Rockets are in the best positions to make a considerable offer for the Bucks’ superstar if he decides to ask for a trade.
“Well, San Antonio does, even after acquiring De’Aaron Fox, they still have tradeable picks to go out. Remember, they have that Atlanta pick, they have the swap in 2027, and they still have tradeable contracts when you look at players like Devin Vassell,” said Marks on NBA Today.
“You know the one team that still does? Houston. They went out and got Kevin Durant, and they still have a lot of draft picks to go out and make a deal. Ofcourse, a player like Amen Thompson would be mentioned if they ever became available here,” added Marks in conclusion.
While the Bucks may decide to consider Antetokounmpo’s trade destination preference if he decides to ask for a trade, at the end of the day, their primary objective will be to get the maximum yield possible from a trade for their franchise player. The team’s future will supersede Antetokounmpo’s preferences if he ever decides to pull the plug on his time with the Bucks.
The Spurs are currently well below the first apron and can use their 125% trade exception if they decide to pursue Antetokounmpo. Therefore, they would only need to give out $43.1 million in a trade to acquire Antetokounmpo’s $54.1 million contract in return. Hence, a hypothetical offer including players like Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson could persuade the Bucks with three or more first-round picks.
For the Rockets, figuring out a trade package would be a lot more complicated. While they have plenty of young players and valuable draft assets, their franchise recently added Kevin Durant to the roster. Therefore, if they bring in another superstar in the same season, they may face an identity crisis as they would lose the foundational young core that they rebuilt on since James Harden’s exit.
Young players like Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson have been mentioned in rumors around the Greek superstar, but it would be complicated for the Rockets to figure out a package for Antetokounmpo due to the impending financial restrictions that come with being on the cusp of the second apron. Moreover, they already need to figure out their situation with a point guard after losing Fred VanVleet to an injury for the entire season.
The Rockets currently have their own first-round picks from 2026 to 2032 for each season (nearly unconditionally); therefore, they can make an enticing offer using those if they decide to make a move for Antetokounmpo. However, if it comes at the price of losing a key player like Thompson or Sengun, maybe the Rockets will reconsider. But they could use their picks to swing the odds in their favor.
In conclusion, the Spurs, in my opinion, are better suited to make an offer for Antetokounmpo as they could build a big three with Victor Wembanyama, Fox, and the Greek superstar. Meanwhile, the Rockets already have a strong foundational young core with a superstar in Kevin Durant. Therefore, if it comes to pushing the offer past their leverage point, the Spurs could make a more enticing offer than the Rockets for Antetokounmpo.
