The Houston Rockets traded for Kevin Durant without giving up a ton of assets.
What's that mean? It means Giannis Antetokounmpo is still in play.
The Milwaukee Bucks superstar hasn't requested a trade, and maybe he never will. But if the Bucks and Giannis decide to part ways, don't bet against Houston.
NBA insider Kevin O'Connor wrote on X, "The Rockets still have enough assets to make a compelling offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo or Jaylen Brown or basically whoever they want to target, even after acquiring Kevin Durant."
O'Connor listed out the first-round picks the Rockets still have to trade:
- 2027 Suns
- 2027 Nets or Rockets (most favorable)
- 2028 Rockets
- 2029 Mavs, Suns or Rockets (two most favorable)
- 2030 Rockets
- 2031 Rockets
- 2032 Rockets
Given the status of the Suns, having a couple of their picks is especially intriguing.
MORE: Rockets trade for Kevin Durant shifts their NBA title timeline
The Rockets also still have young talents like Reed Shepherd and Cam Whitmore who could add flavor to a deal.
Very few teams have as many assets as Houston, even after acquiring Durant. Oklahoma City is one, although it's not clear they'd be interested in Antetokounmpo.
If the Rockets somehow had a starting lineup with Durant and Antetokounmpo together, that'd be really cool.
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