Sam Amick: Giannis probably on top of Rockets list

I think it is likely the Knicks, if they go on to lose this series, will be a major player in the trade market.

 

I don't think there is alot of competition for Giannis honestly. The Bucks aren't going to trade him to a conference in the east. In the west there are only a couple of teams that could satisfy talent and picks. The Rockets, Spurs,and OKC, that's it. The main reason why I believe it's the Rockets are the lead dog is market size, talent without getting roster, young talent still under team control, the largest Nigerian population in America, Dream and Ime. I wouldn't necessarily part with Sengun, but he wouldn't be a deal breaker. I feel like Jabari will have to be in the deal also because they would probably want a young big with some upside. Whatever way you slice it, it would be Alpi, Smith, Whitmore and picks. If it's Green, then its him ,Smith and Whitmore. Either way, I'm fine even if I prefer to keep Sengun

 

Giannis ain't Jimmy Butler, even if he leaves it would be on relatively good terms.......

 

This is just not a serious take. Bucks are going to bleed out whoever goes after Giannis and trust me the list doesn't include OKC but a LOT of teams. Durant cannot fetch a haul but Giannis will. This isn't Butler, Durant, or Fox.

 

It's not scoring its shooting. Scoring implies dunks, FTs, and 3s/midrange. Our nonshooting players already maximize the dunks and miss FTs. Giannis would come and here and effectively cancel out the opportunity offense that constitutes our paint offense. Someone is getting a part of that pie, you're not infinitely increasing. Why, because our spacing sucks. That means we have to get better at FTs, creating FTs, creating open shots, and MAKING OPEN SHOTS. Its shooting. Shooting opens up the offense and creates better opportunities because the D has to work harder and respect LEGITIMATE threats. See playoffs for why we lost. It's not an accident. We have playing the way we do since Feb 2024 because we suck at shooting. We have the same record over that time and the solution we need is not on this team and NOT Giannis. Giannis would require us to dump our team and assets to fit his game. Would you want Giannis to change his game? That would nullify his effectiveness.

 

The Bucks get totally screwed if Giannis insists on the Knicks. Since the Bucks are a 2nd Apron team, they cannot add outgoing contracts to Giannis to get the money balanced. The Bucks need to get multiple draft picks to get any kind of equitable trade out of trading Giannis. The Knicks have like one tradeable draft pick so without a third team involved, the return for the Bucks would be Anunoby, Hart and 1 pick. Almost every other team could do better for the Bucks.

 

I think the Spurs will set the market price basically. The opportunity to pair Wemby and Giannis could have historic results. You might have the best defense in NBA history plus 55ppg from your PF and C.

They can’t trade Fox. He’s with Klutch and they just forced the trade to the Spurs. So really the Spurs are offering the Bucks their starting backcourt of the future - Castle and Harper. They will have to throw in another two mediocre FRP’s.

So their offer will be

Castle
Sochan
#2
#14
Keldon Johnson
Harrison Barnes

Spurs will likely have:

Wemby
Giannis
X
Vassell
Fox

They will split their NTMLE between players like Kelly Oubre or Bruce Brown or THJ. Any wing defender will look way better than they really are with Wemby and Giannis protecting the rim. They also have their own future picks to make upgrades.

Rockets will have to top that offer or pray to God that Sengun and Amen become better shooters than Giannis and Fox. Topping that offer will be expensive.

Whether we get him or not we should at least be raising the price by making offers.

 

The problem is that they have very few draft picks to trade and don't really have any young players with serious upside. If Giannis says "I will only play for the Knicks" maybe it could happen, but if his list includes other teams it's hard to see them fielding a competitive offer. Of course, after the Luka debacle, I'll never rule anything out.

 

Spoilering your post because it's kind of a wall o' text haha. I agree with your take that the Spurs will be players and will set the price. However, I'm not losing sleep over it. Maybe Giannis plays until he's 40 and is a star-level player throughout that time. More likely he retires or is basically a bench veteran by around age 36 or so. That would be the norm for most players. When he is 36, Amen and Sengun will be what, 28?

We will have our shot. And even when other teams in the conference are really, really good, there's still a chance. OKC damn near got eliminated by Denver and they're a historically good team statistically-speaking with the league MVP playing at peak form.

 

Don't forget SA has future picks to include as well (barf)... I personally think Giannis is sincere in his desire to stay in Eastern Conference and I think BK will sell out to make it happen.

 

I think Giannis has 3 good years left, nothing more. By then Wemby is going to be Bill Russell with a 38% 3PT shot. His on court impact will be Shaq-like.

So you’re thinking we just wait till Giannis declines? I think you’re making my point here. We’re f*cked if they pair Wemby and Giannis plus one of Fox or Castle. In 3 years they’re going to attach their future picks to Giannis’ contract and just acquire the next guy who’s dying to play with Wemby.

Spurs will be the best defensive team of all time with a duo that could easily average 55+ ppg. That’s not usual. The mere idea that your solution is “let’s be patient till the year 2030” is telling us all we need to know.



They’re not just going to let that happen imo.

 

Exactly. Spurs won’t let this opportunity slip by easily nor will the Rockets.

I don’t think he’s staying. I think he wants to leave and the Bucks want to trade him. I think they met up and agreed that they’ll pursue a trade and the easiest way for that to happen is they tell the media he decided to stay (until they trade him). They’ll amicably choose among teams both of them can benefit from.

I see us as the favorites tbh. Whatever the Spurs offer, we will top it. What I think people here don’t understand is that it’s going to be more expensive than most Rockets fans would like. It’s not going to be Sengun and 3-4 picks. Whitmore and Sheppard are not significant value. Green’s value is shot. So we either include Amen or trade practically ALL our future picks.

 

Giannis might out last Wemby. Nature is not kind to those that are of freakish height and the NBA is not kind to skinny centers.

 

I agree with that but it’s still a prayer and we don’t wish that on anyone even though I dislike his character. The Spurs treated him WELL his first two seasons, not forcing a lot of minutes or interior pounding on his body. I’ve seen interviews with him before joining the league that his trainers are aware of that risk.

He’s going to take a lot of 3’s and really what I was hoping is that he’d never be good at that. Now that it’s clear he’s going to be able to shoot well, the risks are way lower. He already easily put up 24 points on 18 shots before he had the strength to bully people inside. He’s only going to the line 4 times right now, that’s bound to improve too.

Personally I do anything to prevent Giannis from going there and I think Giannis will salivate at the prospect of his C giving him 25 points, spacing the hell out of the floor and the best rim protector of all time. I have hope that our Yoruba connection via Hakeem/Udoka will cause a dent. Most importantly we can outspend the Spurs and Thunder if we decide to open the wallet.

But let’s be frank, if you’re looking to win it’s all about “who’s my sidekick?”. Coming to get your bones crushed and running into walls for Udoka might have appealed to a 25 year old Giannis but not a 31 year old Giannis.

He’s a cerebral player, listen to him analyzing the games. He will understand that his production is easiest in San Antonio.

 

Ultimately, the question will become, does Wemby get developed as a sidekick. Because he's kinda supposed to be the star of the show.

 

Is a hypothetical team next year with Giannis in and Sengun/Amen out a contender? Because if it's not, you've sacrificed the future without improving the present.

 

If giannis is such a historically good defender why did Tyrese Halliburton hunt him for the game winner? Giannis defense is vastly overrated..,

 

I don't think we should wait until Giannis declines, no, but I'm trying to be realistic. I view Amen as our most likely guy to be good enough to be the best player on a championship team, and I understand that the late 20s/early 30s is when most of those guys win their first ring. Doesn't mean we should give up on the possibility in the meantime--see, Jayson Tatum--but I'm in it for the long haul and I know what the odds are.

 

Giannis will be a buck for years to come….another Lopez situation. Move on and acquire a cheaper target. Malik Monk comes to mind.

 

True they need to add shooting, and you're right why this team needs to be changed because they will never win a championship with this current group. If you get a chance to add a talent like Giannis, you do it and find a way to put shooters around him.