The Houston Rockets are in an interesting position.
The team is good. They’re not ready to compete for an NBA title, are they? Conventional wisdom dictates that they are still several years away from that goal.
Yet at 8-4, the Rockets defy conventional wisdom. No, they’re not going to win an NBA title in 2024-2025. Still, Houston may be closer than people think. This organization could be thinking about an all-in attempt at title contention.
Giannis Antetokounmpo enters. The Rockets have been linked to the potentially beleaguered Bucks star. FadeAwayWorld has suggested that they would have the best package to offer the Bucks for him.
Ishaan Bhattacharya of FadeAwayWorld has the Rockets sending Milwaukee Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, Steven Adams, Dillon Brooks and a slew of picks for the MVP candidate.
That seems a bit optimistic on Houston’s part. To be fair to Bhattacharya, he acknowledges that.
“In my opinion, the trade opportunities with the Houston Rockets may have the greatest potential due to the still-evolving nature of their roster. They identify the stars who will have a long-term future with the franchise, with trade talks potentially leading to the acquisition of other top prospects such as Amen Thompson or Cam Whitmore”
-Ishaan Bhattacharya, FadeAwayWorld
I agree. Including Thompson would be painful, but it would make sense. Due to their combined shooting limitations, he is a poor fit for Antetokounmpo. Meanwhile, Whitmore is currently in the G-League – he’s an obvious player here.
Let’s assume the package consists of Smith Jr., Sheppard, Thompson, salaries, and the four first-rounders Bhattacharya has the Rockets included in the deal. That seems closer to realistic, although the Bucks would likely push for one of Jalen Green or Alperen Sengun.
Is that enough to beat the competition?
There’s a problem.
“The Rockets’ offer would be tough to beat, especially since the Thunder don’t feature Jalen Williams or Chet Holmgren”
-Ishaan Bhattacharya, FadeAwayWorld
Honestly. What if the Thunder offered Williams?
They won’t offer Holmgren. He is a game-changing defenseman, and pairing him with Antetokounmpo would be an integral part of the Thunder’s plans. As far as Williams is concerned, it’s a tough call.
He’s definitely a better fit for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. More generally, Williams is an excellent player. That’s exactly why he would be a viable centerpiece in an Antetokounmpo deal.
This could come down to the Thunder’s performance in 2024-2025. If they win the championship, they don’t want to part with a cornerstone player and a wealth of draft capital. If they even advance to the finals, they’ll keep Williams — even a trip to the conference finals could keep him in a Thunder uniform.
If they don’t get that far, they’ll have to entertain acquiring a perennial MVP candidate, even at the expense of Williams. So any Rockets fan who wants to see Antetokounmpo in Rockets red should keep an eye on the Thunder. If they aren’t interested in the Greek Freak, the Rockets’ chances of acquiring him increase significantly.
Their chances of winning an NBA title would increase at the same time.
