Rockets pushed by NBA analyst to package stars in trade for $175 million superstar

Matt John

Rockets pushed by NBA analyst to package stars in trade for $175 million superstar image

The Milwaukee Bucks are in trouble. After falling to 3-1 in their series against the Indiana Pacers, the Bucks have lost Damian Lillard for the rest of the playoffs and likely the entirety of next season because of an Achilles tear.

If the Bucks lose to the Indiana Pacers and Lillard is out for the entire next season, they will have to consider what to do with Giannis Antetokounmpo, as playoff losses are starting to mount up. If Milwaukee decides to trade Antetokounmpo, The Ringer’s Michael Pina floated a trade idea that would send the former two-time MVP out west.

“Can you get any combination of Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Tari Eason, Reed Sheppard, and a ton of picks from the Houston Rockets?” Pina asked.

The Rockets finished with the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and are in a prime position to acquire a superstar with the assets at their disposal. What also helps them is that they own multiple draft assets from the Phoenix Suns, who are in disarray as a franchise and could undergo some wholesale changes.

If Milwaukee were to get their hands on those assets, that could be the perfect foundation of a rebuild. However, it will all depend on how Antetokounmpo feels about leaving. Being eliminated in the first round for the third straight year would be hard for any superstar to ignore. Antetokounmpo is 30, so there’s only so much time he has left.

The Bucks are also out of options regarding assets to dangle for improvements. Nothing has worked over the past three years, so pending any surprises, it might be time to start a new chapter.

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Matt John

Matt John is a Utah resident, but a Massachusetts native. He's been covering the NBA since 2016, where his work has been featured in publications such as Basketball Insiders, Basketball News, Heavy, FanSided, Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News. When he's not watching ball, he's watching movies, television or true crime.