Rockets must silence rumor and embrace the unorthodox with Giannis Antetokounmpo

With a rumor swirling that the Houston Rockets would trade Alperen Sengun for Giannis Antetokounmpo, the franchise must step up to extinguish that flame and embrace a mentality that goes against the grain. Rather than trading Sengun for Antetokounmpo, Houston must not be afraid to explore what their pairing might look like.

Stars of the future and present, Antetokounmpo and Sengun have the potential to be a far more viable pairing than contemporary viewpoints might suggest.

Houston has been linked to Antetokounmpo in speculative articles since news first broke that the former Finals MVP would be open to being traded. The reasons were clear enough, as the Rockets are a 52-win team with an abundance of tradable assets that wouldn't be fully depleted by a blockbuster trade.

According to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports, one of the players whom Houston is willing to move is Sengun—although Milwaukee may spare them the loss.

"Houston would be open to trading Alperen Sengun, league sources told NBC Sports, but the Bucks may be higher on a Jalen Green-based trade (depending on how they rate Green)."

It's hard to imagine the Bucks not asking for Sengun in a potential trade discussion, but the Rockets should think twice bout moving their All-Star center.

Giannis, Sengun could work if Rockets support them properly

The concerns over how Antetokounmpo and Sengun would fit alongside one another are understandable. Sengun is an elite post player who typically operates within the three-point line, while Antetokounmpo is an interior force of nature with a limited jump shot.

By the numbers, Antetokounmpo shot just 22.2 percent from beyond the arc on 0.9 attempts per game in 2024-25, while Sengun checked in at 23.3 percent on 1.2 attempts per contest.

High-IQ players shouldn't be undervalued, however, and Antetokounmpo and Sengun are among the most resourceful stars in the NBA. They compete on both ends of the floor, have proven effective alongside non-shooters, and are excellent at exploiting space, no matter how much exists.

Sengun also proved as recently as the 2025 NBA Playoffs that he could thrive in an unorthodox pairing, as he and Steven Adams gave the Golden State Warriors fits.

Perhaps the risk isn't worth it, but Sengun was an All-Star and Houston won 52 games in 2024-25 despite the team ranking in the bottom third in three-point field goals made and percentage. Not everything will remain the same, but the fear of the pairing not working can't prevent Houston from trying.

Antetokounmpo and Sengun are too talented to not at least give a chance to make it work—and if all else fails, trading a soon-to-be 23-year-old All-Star shouldn't prove terribly challenging.

If Antetokounmpo and Sengun develop chemistry, the Rockets would move forward with arguably the best interior duo in the NBA. They could generate offense via dribble penetration and post-ups at virtual will, would likely dominate the glass in every series they play, and should continue to thrive defensively.

If the Rockets are left without a choice, it'd be hard to decline a Sengun for Antetokounmpo trade. They simply must explore every option before accepting that outcome.