The Milwaukee Bucks look to be at the end of their Giannis Antetokounmpo era. After the team was virtually ruled out of title contention due to Damian Lillard’s season-ending injury, questions have been focused on Giannis’ future. This could wind up being the third straight season where the Bucks don’t advance past the first round.
With the lack of future assets in Milwaukee’s control, they’re faced with a near-impossible dilemma. Either honor franchise legend Giannis by trying to patch their roster for half-hearted attempts at title contention or trade him away for assets to safeguard the franchise’s future.
A perennial MVP candidate like Giannis will fetch a high price, and it’s one the Houston Rockets might be willing to match. They have previously been linked with the Greek star.
Trade Details
Houston Rockets Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, 2025 First-Round Pick (PHX), 2027 First-Round Pick (PHX), 2031 First-Round Pick (HOU)
This deal will need to happen later in the offseason, with contract options on Smith Jr. and Whitmore needing to be confirmed prior to that. However, this is an appetizing deal for both squads, as the Rockets get to retain their primary win-now core while the Bucks receive three high-potential players alongside valuable draft assets.
The Rockets Go Hunting For A Title
This deal confirms that the Rockets’ five-year-long rebuild has entered its win-now stage. An acquisition of this magnitude for a perennial MVP contender will ensure the Rockets push for championships as long as Giannis is in his prime. He’s a great fit into Ime Udoka’s system, making him the anchor of an already terrifying defensive roster without losing any major rotational pieces.
Giannis is averaging 30.2 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 5.9 assists this season. Not only does he make one of the best defensive teams in the NBA even stronger on that front, but he also would transform their offense.
He’d be the best playmaker by a mile on the squad, allowing teammates to benefit from his gravity. It’s an underrated facet of Giannis’ game, but he’s always elevated the players around him.
Giannis would be a great temperamental and stylistic fit on the Rockets. With a proven Playoff-caliber squad around him, Giannis might be the finishing touch they need to push for a title.
Assuming their young stars continue developing over the offseason, the Rockets would be among the leading contenders in the NBA, with Giannis leading their roster.
A Rebuild In Milwaukee
The Bucks have to realize that their time as one of the perennial contenders in the NBA is likely over. They went all-in on an aging roster around Giannis and got the championship that every team is chasing. However, injury struggles and the evolution of their opponents have made their roster inadequate for contention.
We haven’t seen anything from the Giannis and Damian Lillard duo that indicates they can be title contenders. It might be time to start a full rebuild.
The Bucks don’t have any future assets under their control, so they need quality picks and players to stay relevant. Jabari Smith Jr. is a former No. 3 pick, averaging 12.2 points and 6.6 rebounds this season. He’s fallen out of favor with Ime Udoka but still shows flashes of being an incredibly useful multi-positional defender and scorer.
Cam Whitmore is averaging 9.0 points and 3.0 rebounds this season and looks to be a surplus to requirements in Houston. Reed Sheppard is a No. 4 pick who hasn’t been able to crack the Rockets’ rotation. There is a clear upside with him if he can get development time on the court. A rebuilding Bucks squad would be perfect for that.
The 2025 pick they receive from the Suns is expected to be in the lottery, but their 2027 pick might be even more valuable. These are arguably among the most valuable picks in the NBA, so the Bucks would be happy to have them instead of having nothing to show for the inevitable post-Giannis era.
Houston Would Be A Terrifying Stop In The West
The Rockets can run out a lineup with Amen Thompson, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Giannis, and Alperen Sengun, with options like Tari Eason off the bench. That sounds like a guaranteed bad time if you’re facing the Rockets. If they re-sign Fred VanVleet on a team-friendly contract, they genuinely would have enough to go toe-to-toe with almost any team in the West.
The Bucks moving on from the greatest player in franchise history wouldn’t be easy. But with the asset situation they find themselves in, they can’t really upgrade the average roster around Giannis or have anything to look forward to after he leaves or retires. Getting ahead of the inevitable by resetting the franchise with a trade package for him would be the best move for them.
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