The Houston Rockets have been one of the most aggressive teams in the NBA throughout the 2025 offseason. Acquiring Kevin Durant was arguably the biggest blockbuster move that any team made.
While the Durant trade was a big one for the Rockets, the team was connected to another high-profile move. Houston was one of the teams talked about as a potential trade suitor for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo has been at the top of the NBA rumor mill this offseason. He has yet to fully decide on what he wants for the future. Will he stay with the Bucks?
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Entering the 2025-26 season, that remains one of the biggest questions in the league. It’s entirely possible that Antetokounmpo could end up wanting out of Milwaukee by the trade deadline. Next offseason would be another possibility.
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With that being said, the Rockets’ general manager spoke out with a revelation about Antetokounmpo.
During a recent interview on ESPN Houston, Rafael Stone spoke out and shared that Bucks’ general manager Jon Horst and he had a conversation about Antetokounmpo. It was made clear to him that the “Greek Freak” will not be traded.
He was asked specifically about whether or not Houston could trade for Antetokounmpo before the start of the 2025-26 season.
“No,” Stone said. “I deal well with Jon Horst (Bucks GM), I really like him. Jon was very clear that they weren’t doing anything. So, that was that.”
No one should be surprised about that statement. Milwaukee is still 100 percent determined to build a championship contender around Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo also seems to prefer the idea of staying with the Bucks. He simply wants to be in a position where he can compete for another ring.
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It will be interesting to see what the future has in store for both Milwaukee and Antetokounmpo. Things can change in the blink of an eye when it comes to the NBA. More should be known about that situation by the end of the upcoming season.
At this point, the Rockets will not be able to acquire Antetokounmpo. But, if he is made available on the trade block down the road, Houston will be a team to watch.
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