The Milwaukee Bucks are at a crossroads. While they have one of the best players in the world in Giannis Antetokounmpo, the team around him is not currently constructed to win a championship. Even worse, a good majority of their draft capital belongs to the New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers thanks to previous trades for Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard, both of whom are no longer on the team.
While Milwaukee has tried to remedy its situation with the signing of Indiana Pacers big man Myles Turner, it most likely won’t be enough to contend in an Eastern Conference that features a handful of better teams on paper.
The Bucks are better off expediting the process of a full-scale rebuild, selling off what assets they have to better prepare themselves for future contention. That includes their crown jewel, Antetokounmpo.
There may be no better team to send him to than the Houston Rockets. Last year’s No. 2 seed in the Western Conference is loaded with assets and young players, while also balancing the fine line of contending with a youth movement.
Houston has already shown their aggressiveness this offseason with the acquisition of All-NBA talent Kevin Durant, and thanks to the low price they were able to get him at, there’s still enough firepower to make the godfather offer for the Greek Freak.
Sports Illustrated has this as the proposed package:
Bucks Receive:
C Alperen Sengun, G Reed Sheppard, G Amen Thompson, 2027 first round pick (Suns), 2028 first round pick, Right to swap first round picks in 2029
Rockets Receive:
F Giannis Antetokounmpo
In what would be a win-win for both sides, the Rockets part ways with their young All-Star center Sengun, two up-and-comers in Sheppard and Thompson, and their stash of draft capital for one of the five best players in the game to pair up with Durant.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee gets three foundational pieces to usher in a new era of Bucks basketball, along with a stockpile of draft capital.
If the Bucks want to take their future seriously and not risk Antetokounmpo leaving in free agency when his contract expires in the Summer of 2027, they should be proactive and look to capitalize on his value now.
