A new report on the Houston Rockets looking to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo appear to be headed to a split this offseason as reports suggest that the Bucks are listening to calls on their star power.
Giannis' name has been in the rumor mill for a year now, with reports indicating that the New York Knicks were interested in trading for him last offseason. No deal materialized, and the Bucks retooled by signing Myles Turner in hopes to still contend with Giannis.
Trade rumors were hot going into the trade deadline with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, and Miami Heat among the interested suitors, but Milwaukee held firm, still hoping for a late season push.
Milwaukee ended up having a disappointing season, and Giannis played in just 36 contests. An injury to the Greek star ended his season in mid-March, the Bucks failed to make the play-in tournament.
A New Destination for Giannis?
Giannis reportedly wants to remain in the Eastern Conference and join a team that is close to a championship.
Milwaukee may honor those reported requests from Giannis, or they could do what is best for their franchise and take the number one offer on the table.
Sam Amick of The Athletic appeared on FanDuel's Run It Back and stated, "I don't know if Milwaukee likes Alperen Şengün that much, but that's the one people talk about."
The Houston Rockets went big game hunting last offseason, acquiring Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green.
The hope was that Durant would fix their offensive woes while they maintained a top tier defense. It worked in the regular season, but an injury to Durant in the playoffs showed the limitations for Sengun and the Rockets offense.
A Good Deal For Milwaukee?
Sengun is off to a promising start in his NBA career, making his second All-Star team this past season while averaging 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in 72 games.
While he doesn't offer much shooting spacing, his defense comes and goes, and his offensive game can still look raw at times, he is only 23 years old and has room to grow.
If the Bucks are looking for a young star to help kickstart their rebuild, Sengun might be one of the better options on the table. Milwaukee would likely get draft capital out of the deal as well, and the Rockets have a number of enticing picks, including a 2027 first from the Suns and a swap with the Nets.