Bucks News: Rockets 'Not Interested' in Giannis Antetokonumpo Trade

Houston has emerged as one of the best in the West this season.

Nov 18, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives for the basket against Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) during the third quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets have emerged as one of the best in the West this season.

Sporting an 11-5 record on the young season, Houston is currently just a game behind the Western Conference's top two seeds, the 11-3 Golden State Warriors and the 12-4 Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Milwaukee Bucks, meanwhile, are just now righting the ship after a dismal 2-8 start to their 2024-25 run. Riding a two-game mini-win streak, Milwaukee is now 6-9 on the year, and back in the play-in picture.

Regardless, some troubling trends have emerged in the early offing that seem to have lowered Milwaukee's upside this season. The Bucks may have had championship aspirations heading into the year, but that kind of ceiling appears doomed now, thanks to an aging core outside of the 29-year-old All-Star power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, limited role player depth and lingering health questions about three-time All-Star small forward Khris Middleton.

Antetokounmpo remains as individually terrific as ever, though he's still not a long range sharpshooter or a reliable foul line shooter. The eight-time All-NBA Teamer is averaging 31.4 points on 60.1 percent shooting from the floor and 58.7 percent shooting from the charity stripe, plus 12.4 boards, 5.9 dimes, 1.5 rejections and 0.5 steals a night in his 13 healthy contests.

Do the Rockets think they're good enough to win it all? Do they even want to win it all this year, with their developing young pieces still so green? Would they ever be amenable to a win-now move, a la a trade to acquire the Bucks' two-time MVP?

Apparently the Rockets are happy with where they are — for now.

Sources inform Kelly Iko of The Athletic that Houston doesn't want to rock the apple cart and offload any of its young core players in a potential deal for Antetokounmpo.

Fourth-year standouts Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, both still 22, lead Houston in scoring, with 19.7 points and 17.5 points per — respectively. Sengun is also averaging 11.0 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.0 steals per bout. Young forwards Tari Eason, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith Jr. have all taken leaps this season, too, while Houston still seems to have high hopes for young wing Cam Whitmore and rookie shooting guard Reed Sheppard. Clearly, the Rockets are primed for a bright future, with or without Antetokounmpo.

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