The NBA Draft is only two weeks away, and the Houston Rockets, armed with the 10th overall pick, are one of the most fascinating teams entering draft day.
At this stage of their development as a team, the Rockets don't need another lottery pick as they already have young players they struggle to find playing time for. They simply have too many assets they need to consolidate, ideally for a superstar.
GM Rafael Stone will need to make sure no stone is unturned as he looks for a superstar to add to Houston's elite young core. The Rockets have all the pieces necessary to contend in the Western Conference for a long time, except for a true top-five player in the league.
Swinging a big trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo would solve that problem. A potential deal with the Bucks would require Houston to part ways with most of its draft capital, including this year's lottery pick. A package of Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and Tari Eason would also be sufficient to match salaries in a potential trade.
This allows the Rockets to hold onto their two most important assets, Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson. Houston would be wise to keep those two future stars out of any trade negotiations, and this mock trade scenario returns enough value for the Bucks to make it worth their while even without the inclusion of Thompson and Şengün.
Antetokounmpo, Şengün, and Thompson as the core trio of a title contender have a ton of versatility, talent, and playmaking, but lack in shooting.
The Rockets would need to surround them with elite shooters, perhaps using the rest of their young players, such as Cam Whitmore and Reed Sheppard. However, after the acquisition of a two-time MVP, that is the easy part.
If the Rockets can convince the Bucks to take this deal and ensure Antetokounmpo would stay in Houston long-term, they would have the best roster to compete with the Oklahoma City Thunder for years to come.