The Athletic’s Sam Amick: “The Rockets could put a package together but don’t appear to have the motivation — at the moment, anyway — because of their immense belief in the younger core.”
(Early) NBA trade talk: What I’m hearing about Giannis, Anthony Davis, the Timberwolves’ plans, all things Kings, and Jonathan Kuminga (with a Pelicans tie-in) as the key Dec. 15 date nears, at @TheAthletic https://t.co/Bii96iBG3Q
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) December 12, 2025
Prior to acquiring Kevin Durant in the 2025 offseason, reports emerged that the Houston Rockets had potential trade interest in Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
But it seems the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) didn’t formally ask for a deal at that time, and Milwaukee rebuffed all inquiries.
Months later, in the weeks leading up to the in-season trade deadline in early February, talks of a split between the Bucks and Antetokounmpo are starting up again.
But as of now, it doesn’t appear the Rockets will be an aggressive suitor. Per Sam Amick of The Athletic:
The Houston Rockets could put a package together to pair Antetokounmpo with Kevin Durant but don’t appear to have the motivation — at the moment, anyway — because of their immense belief in the younger core (Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson et al).
From a Houston perspective, the biggest roadblock is likely age.
Antetokounmpo is now 31 years old, yet because of his continued All-Star productivity, the Bucks would likely have the leverage to command both future draft equity and at least one top young prospect in a deal.
The top prospects on the current Rockets are widely viewed as Sengun and Thompson, who are 23 and 22 years old, respectively. As such, trading either as part of a deal for a 31-year-old could significantly shorten Houston’s window of title contention.
There is also the possibility, if not a likelihood, that both Sengun and Thompson will continue to improve in the months and years ahead. At 31, the same is unlikely to be the case with Antetokounmpo.
So, if the Rockets are winning at a high enough level — and at the moment, they are 16-6 and tied for the second-fewest losses in the Western Conference — the smart play for general manager Rafael Stone is likely to err on the side of youth and upside.
While Stone did trade for Durant, the only young prospect that went out in the deal was Jalen Green, who isn’t viewed as being in the same tier as Sengun or Thompson. Because Durant is 37 and was entering the final year of his previous contract, the Phoenix Suns had significantly less negotiating leverage than Milwaukee does. Thus, the Rockets were able to acquire Durant at a relatively inexpensive cost.
In contrast, the market for Antetokounmpo is likely to be much more friendly to the seller. And if the Rockets are succeeding with Sengun and Thompson to the extent they are to begin the 2025-26 campaign, it likely won’t make sense for Houston to be the most aggressive buyer.
But should those results change, as Amick indicates, it’s a conversation that could be revisited at a later date. Antetokounmpo is sidelined for weeks with a calf strain, so it doesn’t appear that any deal is imminent.