The Houston Rockets look to be one of the many teams interested in Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason.
While Antetokounmpo hasn’t officially requested out of Milwaukee, his name has frequently popped up in trade rumors over the last few seasons. With the Bucks already out of playoff contention and the 31-year-old seemingly at odds with the direction of the franchise, there’s even more pressure on Milwaukee to trade him this summer and usher in a full-scale rebuild.
After pulling off a blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant last summer, NBA insider Chris Mannix expects the Rockets to go star hunting again and make a “major run” at Antetokounmpo this offseason.
Houston’s offseason plans
In a recent interview, Mannix said that Houston still had a “treasure trove” of assets to swing a deal for Antetokounmpo after trading for Durant. Despite Houston’s disappointing season, one that has fallen well short of its preseason expectations with long-term injuries to Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams, Mannix cautioned that he didn’t expect the Rockets to “hit the nuke button” even if they pursued Antetokounmpo.
The NBA insider continued, saying that Houston had two paths it could follow this offseason. If the Rockets didn’t land Antetokounmpo, one of those paths would be running it back with its current group and a healthy VanVleet. Mannix said the other would be to pivot to another veteran star who fits Houston’s win-now mindset with Durant.
Durant and Antetokounmpo would instantly form one of the league’s best duos if the Rockets were able to make a deal happen, but it seems unlikely. As Mannix mentioned, Houston has plenty of young talent that could entice Milwaukee, but it would come down to whether or not the Rockets would be willing to cash in on their potential.
After a quiet trade deadline, it seems like Houston will explore all of its options to improve the roster this offseason in Year 2 with Durant, including a trade for Antetokounmpo.
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Chris Mannix: Rockets to make ‘major run’ at Giannis Antetokounmpo
Reporting by Henry Daley, Rockets Wire / Rockets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
