Let's say, conceptually, we would trade a stuff NOT including Sengun and Amen for Giannis. But, we'd have to empty the cupboard - give them whatever they want. All our picks, Green, Bari, etc. The question - is a team anchored by Giannis, Sengun, and Amen a contender? Or is the lack of spacing too much to overcome?
So trade for Giannis and you have 2-4 year window to win before you blow it up all over again? And we’re gonna double down on the two non-shooters thing? (Either Giannis/Alperen or Giannis/Amen) Holiday-Middleton-Tucker-Giannis-Lopez (won title) Holiday-Allen-Matthews-Giannis-Lopez (lost to Celtics 4-3 in second round) Holiday-Allen-Middleton-Giannis-Lopez (lost to Heat 4-1 in first round) Lillard-Bev-Middleton-Portis-Lopez (lost to Pacers 4-2 in first round) Lillard-Trent-Kuzma-Giannis-Lopez (down 3-1 to Pacers in first round) Despite Giannis’ greatness, they haven’t won a series in 3 years, are gonna lose to the Pacers again, are going home in the first round again
Great player but you’re right, it’s not worth selling off asset and important pieces. 3 first round exits is not a good look Great highlights but potentially 3 first round exits. 1 to the 8th seeded heat and 2 to tyrese haliburton?? He needs a perimeter star around him to excel. The rockets with Thompson and sengun aren’t gonna help with that. We over performed this season even if we flail out against the warriors. I’d rather make slow smart adjustments then go all in to a closing championship window with Giannis who’s already in his 30s
Jalen, Tari, Cam, Phoenix’s 3 picks should get it done IMO. That would give Milwaukee same young assets with a ton of potential, and a haul of picks from a team which is entering rebuild. The Rockets would be contenders for years.
I’m pretty sure to get Giannis it’s Jalen or Sengun plus 5 picks. If we keep Sengun, Giannis only works with Sengun getting a 3 point shot like Brook Lopez. Amen’s shooting will improve, but probably not much from 3 except the corners. Current Sengun, Amen, and Giannis would lead to horrible spacing.
I get your reasoning for the most part but this year shouldn’t be counted against Giannis as Lillard only played what 1/2 of one game the entire series?
I asked ChatGPT. 1. “Veteran Depth + Picks” (RICE 72 /100 – high reach, medium effort) To Milwaukee To Houston Fred VanVleet – $42.9 M (picks up 25-26 player option) Spotrac Giannis Antetokounmpo Dillon Brooks – $22.3 M (2 yrs) Spotrac 2028 HOU 1st (unprotected) 2031 HOU 1st (top-4 protected) Why it makes sense Bucks’ lens – immediate playoff backcourt, elite wing defender, and two prime firsts while ducking the second apron (~$11 M in savings). Rockets’ lens – keep Jalen Green, Sengün, Whitmore; form Giannis-centric core still run by Amen Thompson after one “PG bridge” year with VanVleet gone. Risk flags – no VanVleet replacement after Year 1; tax line crunch hits fast. 2. “Blue-Chip Youth Reset” (RICE 78 /100 – biggest upside, higher risk) To Milwaukee To Houston Jalen Green – projected $33 M new extension Giannis Antetokounmpo Jabari Smith Jr. – $12.3 M Tari Eason – $6.6 M 2027 swap rights (via BRK) + 2029 HOU 1st (unprotected) + 2031 HOU 1st (unprotected) RealGM Basketball Why it makes sense Bucks – pivot to a Green-Lillard timeline or full rebuild with three cost-controlled starters and two unprotected firsts. Rockets – Giannis / Sengün inside-out combo, keep VanVleet to steer half-court sets, retain Brooks for POA defense. Risk flags – Rockets strip away two highest-ceiling youngsters and most of their future draft ammo; Bucks must re-tool Dame’s future. 3. “Three-Team Cap Surgery” (RICE 70 /100 – complex, but least asset drain) Step 1 – ORL ↔ HOU Magic get VanVleet (need PG leadership). Rockets get Jonathan Isaac ($17.4 M expiring) + ORL 2026 1st. Step 2 – HOU ↔ MIL Rockets send Isaac + Brooks + 2029 better-of HOU/DAL/PHX 1st. Bucks send Giannis. Net Result Bucks Cap relief of ~$24 M, two firsts, elite wing stopper Isaac (if healthy). Rockets Land Giannis and keep Green, Jabari, Sengün, Whitmore. Magic Solve PG void without sacrificing core. Risk flags – three-way timing, Magic must truly covet VanVleet; Isaac’s health volatility; harder to align apron math. Quick WAR Delta (BPM→Wins, 2025-26) Scenario Rockets WAR Gain Notes 1 – Vets +2.0 lose FVV playmaking year-2 onward 2 – Youth +2.8 biggest single-season upside 3 – 3-Team +2.2 minimal asset cost, roster balance Logic Checks & Caveats Trade-kicker math – Giannis’ 15 % bump counts toward Houston’s apron the moment the trade executes; Scenarios 1 & 3 need Rockets ~$4 M below 2nd apron to stay legal. Player approvals – VanVleet must opt in; Isaac must pass physical; Giannis has no NTC but can steer via leverage. Pick obligations – Houston’s 2025-27 swaps with BRK/OKC limit earliest unprotected pick you can move to 2028. Health variance – Giannis (knee) + Isaac (if used) combine to >40 % missed-game risk over next three years.
If Giannis became a member of the Rockets, I would consider seriously no longer following the Rockets. Watching him play and seeing him bull into people is not fun to watch. It is very joyless.
Plus, is Giannis a good enough freethrow shooter? (Actually he is better than most if not all of the current players in the team...)
Obviously you don't remember him missing 3 games in the Heat series. Joker is 30 also , but it's a no go for him. You also haven't told me about Dream being 1 and done up until 93
Okay fair, ignore the heat series. What about losing to tyrese Halliburton. That’s the way we evaluate players here on clutchfans, you either won or you didn’t. giannis is good but do you want to trade your leverage and start to close your championship window now or, upgrade and develop while other teams age out (clippers, lakers, warriors) Adding Giannis would mean a big change in our line ups. Right now I think the most needed position is SG and PG. you upgrade those two positions with players that can open up the floor and you’d have a longer chance
No, Giannis has been great this series. (34/14/5 while playing 36 minutes) But they’re still gonna lose. (5 games, 6 games, whatever) As for Lillard, 2 of the 4 games (missed G1, played in G2 & G3, went down early in G4) You trade for Giannis, you are on the clock. “Well let’s see how the first year goes!” “Well let’s see if Amen(or Sengun) and Giannis can play together!” … No. You are on the clock. Better go get some shooters or some 3/D guys. You are now “all in”. Whatever is leftover (not being trade for Giannis), they might even be sent out elsewhere for immediate help.
Giannis is still clearly a top 5 NBA player. He's got a pretty good injury history. He's 30. Yes, athleticism is important to his game, but even if he loses a step, he'll still be the strongest and fastest 7 foot player in the league for several years. I don't like the idea of emptying the cupboard of picks, though. In the apron era, you need cheap young talent to contend. Would it be possible/not crazy to exercise FVV's option and trade him for Dame's contract to save on draft capital? Milwaukee would be ecstatic to get off that contract, and we have enough cheap depth to burn the roster spot. Something like FVV + Jalen + this years PHX pick (assuming no lotto luck) for Giannis and Dame? We take in ton of salary but we have about $27 million coming off the books in Adams, Green, and Tate. Exercise Holiday's option, keep Landale, rely on Cam and Reed for real minutes. Maybe Dame's contract is so toxic that we can even keep the PHX pick. starting 5 Amen Sheppard Sengun Brooks Giannis next up Tari Whitmore Landale Holiday Bari Pray that Sengun develops a jumper. Stagger Giannis and Sengun significantly if not. Still have lots of future picks and can afford rookie extensions when Dame's dead money falls off.
Giannis is a classic version of Anthony Davis (who can shoot) of a guy that plays like a center but doesn't want to play the position. He robs the team of his actual position and creates horrible spacing because he needs the center to not exist. This reminds me of why Westbrook couldn't play with Capela. Athletically, Greek Freak is a great individual stats player that like Amen is a force of nature but doesn't really fit in an offense. He plays bully ball only and that is not a skill and is going to collapse quickly. Players should idolize the Dream because like Jordan they went into the lab every offseason and focused 100% on adding skills because they knew athleticism wouldn't be around forever. Giannis is fools gold. He negates Sengun and really requires you to trade him but lose a rim protector. This teams needs Durant and Harden. This team better not dump the young talent and assets on a Booker or Giannis megatrade that will give us nothing. This damn team needs to learn how to shoot better and make some f****n FTs. We also need an offensive coach that has a better game plan than let FVV figure it out. How we went into a series and never figured out how our inept offense would be targeted like the zone in the early season is criminal. That's beyond stupid. A r****d could figure out they would block the paint. I am going to hold my tongue on what I want to say about Jalen. It has no place here but I am sure everyone can figure it out.
If you don’t have a player go off like Middleton who can attack the midrange and decent from 3 and have a 3-D PG…. And a stretch C … then in playoffs teams will gameplan similarly to how GS is doing Alpi You can give up 2s you just can’t give up 3s So in getting him, you can’t have Amen / Giannis / Alpi on court … that’s 0 spacing …unless you have Curry and Kawhi
I like the idea of Giannis way better than KD. I do think they’ll want Sengun over Jalen but who knows. Our ideal trade vs the Bucks desires aren’t going to align so there will be a hard pill to swallow somewhere but we do need to go there. I actually would prefer to keep Cam and Reed if possible because shooting will be a premium playing alongside Giannis. We also will be in a situation where as dominant as Giannis is, I do still think we are vulnerable in the postseason scoring in the half court. Our young guys left will still need to take a big step forward offensively. Someone has to elevate their game as an isolation scorer/creator. But defensively… oh man… we are talking about having a historically amazing defense and we should be one of the top teams in the west for the next 3 to 5 years if Giannis can stay healthy.
