Rockets said to have best trade package for Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Houston Rockets find themselves in an interesting position.

The team is good. They're not ready to compete for an NBA title, right? Conventional wisdom dictates that they're several years away from that mark.

Yet, at 8-4, the Rockets are defying conventional wisdom. No, they aren't going to win an NBA title in 2024-25. Still, Houston may be closer than people think. This organization could be thinking about an all-in push toward title contention.

Enter Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Rockets have been linked to the potentially beleaguered Bucks' star. FadeAwayWorld has suggested they'd have the best package to offer the Bucks for him.

Rockets have plenty to offer for Antetokounmpo

FadeAwayWorld's Ishaan Bhattacharya has the Rockets sending Milwaukee Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, Steven Adams, Dillon Brooks, and a whole bunch of picks for the MVP candidate.

That seems a bit optimistic on Houston's end. To be fair to Bhattacharya, he acknowledges that.

"In my opinion, the trade opportunities with the Houston Rockets might have the greatest potential due to the still-in-flux nature of their roster. They're identifying the stars who will have a long-term future with the franchise, with trade conversations possibly leading to the acquisition of other good prospects such as Amen Thompson or Cam Whitmore"

-Ishaan Bhattacharya, FadeAwayWorld

I'd concur. Including Thompson would be painful, but it would be logical. Due to their combined shooting limitations, he makes for a poor fit with Antetokounmpo. Meanwhile, Whitmore is currently in the G-League - he's an obvious inclusion here.

Let's assume that the package is Smith Jr., Sheppard, Thompson, salaries, and the four first-rounders Bhattacharya has the Rockets including in the deal. That seems closer to realistic, although the Bucks would likely insist on one of Jalen Green or Alperen Sengun.

Is that enough to beat the competition?

Rockets have a real shot at Antetokounmpo

There's a snag.

"(T)he Rockets' offer would be hard to beat, especially with the Thunder not including either Jalen Williams or Chet Holmgren"

-Ishaan Bhattacharya, FadeAwayWorld

Fair. What if the Thunder did offer Williams?

They won't offer Holmgren. He's a game-changing defender, and pairing him with Antetokounmpo would be integral to the Thunder's plans. As far as Williams goes, it's a tough call.

He's certainly a more optimal fit alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. More broadly, Williams is an outstanding player. That's exactly why he'd be a viable centerpiece in an Antetokounmpo deal.

This may boil down to the Thunder's performance in 2024-25. If they win the championship, they won't want to part with a cornerstone player in addition to a treasure trove of draft capital. If they even advance to the Finals, they'll keep Williams - even a Conference Finals trip could keep him in a Thunder uniform.

If they don't advance that far, they'll have to entertain acquiring a perennial MVP candidate - even at the cost of Williams. So, any Rockets fan who wants to see Antetokounmpo in Rockets red should keep an eye on the Thunder. If they're not interested in the Greek Freak, the Rockets' odds of acquiring him increase significantly.

Their odds of winning an NBA title would increase concurrently.