Rockets Won't Regret Staying Out of Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Rumors

Houston, after previously being linked to the two-time MVP, is reportedly not expected to pursue a blockbuster deal this NBA offseason. They won't regret it.

Nov 9, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dunks the ball againtst Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) in the second half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

For a long time, the Houston Rockets were loosely linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo as his availability became increasingly clear. This past season, he was nearly traded at the deadline, but after conflicting reports and controversy, he remained in a Milwaukee Bucks uniform when the dust settled.

We saw a similar case with Kevin Durant last year. Heading into that season, there were rumors of Houston's interest, and that picked up closer to the deadline. The Rockets played out the rest of their games with the young core, and after a first-round exit, made the win-now move and brought in the star. He was an All-NBA player in year one with the organization.

This offseason, the question was whether they'd double down on that mentality and land Antetokounmpo.

It's certainly enticing. The 31-year-old averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game this season. When healthy, he's an unstoppable force in the paint, able to finish over anyone while playing some of the best three-level defense in the NBA.

So it makes sense why the Rockets would be linked to Antetokounmpo, considering they have the young players and draft capital to go after him. However, NBA insider Jake Fischer took to Bleacher Report on Tuesday and practically shut down that possibility.

It's hard not to like the idea of landing Antetokounmpo, but with so many suitors leading up to the 2026 NBA Draft, Houston probably won't regret staying out of negotiations if Fischer's belief comes true.

The Miami Heat appear to be the leading contender in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. They desperately need to escape the middle of the pack in a weak Eastern Conference, and they have the ammunition to be aggressive in the bidding war.

But with a bidding war comes the eventual overpay. If the Heat have competitors to acquire Antetokounmpo, they'll likely end up shelling out more assets than they'd like, and the Rockets have to be smart about their future. It didn't take much to land Durant, but the Greek Freak is a different story.

Houston has assets that may be too valuable to give up. With the new draft lottery rules in place next year, the Rockets have two great first-round picks via the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets. On top of that, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason make up a young core with so much potential.

Antetokounmpo is a top-five basketball player in the world when healthy, but it takes more than that to win a championship in the modern NBA. Houston won't regret staying out of the sweepstakes if he has to be traded before the draft.