Rockets get crushing Giannis trade update from NBA insider

The Houston Rockets would be one of the top teams in the running for Giannis Antetokounmpo if he were to request a trade from the Bucks, but they might not be one of his top destinations. ESPN's Brian Windhorst said that if Giannis has control over where he ends up, it'd be with another Eastern Conference team. Windhorst listed the Celtics and Knicks as two options.

Antetokounmpo is still mulling over his future. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported after Milwaukee's season ended that the superstar was "open-minded" to leaving the Bucks for the first time in his career. They've failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs for three consecutive years. Giannis prioritizes winning a second championship over staying in Milwaukee for the entirety of his career.

The Bucks don't have a clear path to upgrade their roster to convince Giannis to stay, which is why NBA insider Marc Stein reported that Milwaukee is reminding the star how weak the East will be, meaning it'd be easier for him to win a title if he stays in the conference. Antetokounmpo understands this and could use it to push his way out to a fellow Eastern Conference team.

Windhorst says Giannis would want to stay in the East if he has control

Even though Giannis delivered the Bucks a title in 2021, they'd be under no obligation to "do right" by him if he requested a trade. Milwaukee would certainly prefer to trade him to a Western Conference team, such as Houston, that has the draft assets and young talent to complete a deal. However, Giannis' reluctance to leave the East could be what holds up a deal.

There's no guarantee that the Rockets would go all-in on Antetokounmpo, either. The front office values their young core, which would be broken up with a trade. There is no rush for Houston to push in its chips to win a championship. Patience is what got the Rockets to where they are.

The team is ahead of schedule, finishing with the second-best record in the West. However, their first-round loss to the Warriors proved that they need firepower to compete for a title. The West will only get stronger, too. Giannis would strengthen it even more, but as mentioned, he's not satisfied with his one championship. The odds of him winning another would increase if he stayed in the East (but not with the Bucks), rather than going to the West.

Nothing is certain. All of this speculation might be for naught, as Giannis could stay in Milwaukee. If he does want to leave, he could go to the West, even though Windhorst said he'd prefer to stay in the East. The Bucks will have the final say in Giannis' future. If the Rockets have the best offer, he could be Houston's next big star.