Flashy Rockets trade proposal sends team’s best young player away for superstar

Jeremy Kruger

Flashy Rockets trade proposal sends team’s best young player away for superstar image

The Houston Rockets are probably just one star away. They have the makings of a great team, but they don’t have that “it” factor to take them over the edge. This offseason will be full of Rockets trade rumors that could land them that coveted star. One name who is on everyone’s mind when it comes to offseason trade rumors is Giannis Antetokounmpo. Let’s examine a possible Giannis-Rockets trade idea that, if executed, would dominate all Houston Rockets news this summer. 

The proposed trade, created by Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report, would look like this:

Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, a 2027 first-round pick (via Phoenix), a 2028 first-round pick swap, a 2030 first-round pick, and a 2032 first-round pick for Giannis Antetokounmpo

At first glance, this doesn’t look like too crazy of a package for the Rockets to send out in a Giannis trade. 

What hurts the most obviously would be losing Thompson, a young prospect that many believe is “untouchable” in Rockets’ trade talks. 

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Thompson has shown incredible upside and could be the Rockets' superstar of the future. Still, he likely won’t become a top-5 player in the league, something Giannis already is. 

The question becomes, do the Rockets believe that a core of Giannis, Dillon Brooks, Alperen Şengün, and Jalen Green is enough to make them the championship favorites? 

Sure, landing Giannis would be the best Houston Rockets news the team has had in a while, but we don’t believe that after losing Thompson, this roster would have enough to win it all. 

So, this Houston Rockets rumor should probably be laid to rest. The team has a better chance of winning it all by keeping their assets, letting their young players grow, and seeing what their team looks like in one or two years instead of making this bold and risky Giannis-Rockets trade. 

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Jeremy Kruger

Jeremy is a freelance NBA writer with The Sporting News. His basketball career may have ended in high school, but his passion for the game never stopped. As a digital nomad, Jeremy travels the world writing about basketball and searching whatever continent he is on for the best pick-up games.