For the two superstars, longtime ESPN host and NBA media personality Stephen A. Smith ranks Houston high on his list of potential trade destinations.
All-Star forwards Giannis Antetokounmpo (of the Milwaukee Bucks) and Kevin Durant (of the Phoenix Suns) have been rumored as trade possibilities in the 2025 offseason, and the Houston Rockets are among the potential suitors.
As of Monday, it remains unclear when or if either will be dealt.
But if one or both ultimately hit the market, longtime ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith likes the Rockets as a fit. In ranking the top-five destinations for both players on Monday’s First Take, Smith had the Rockets at No. 2 for both stars.
We understand Jalen Green just ain’t ready, and he ain’t got that kind of perimeter game. Consistency, that’s what you need if you’re Ime Udoka.
Giannis in Houston, that locomotive coming at you with those pieces? (Alperen) Sengun, Fred VanVleet, and those boys? Oh yes, Houston would be no joke.
The only team Smith listed ahead of the Rockets is the Knicks, who he happens to be a diehard fan of. So, there could be some wishful thinking involved there. Because New York traded away most of its future draft capital last offseason in a deal for Mikal Bridges, Houston would seem to be better positioned from an asset perspective to make a big trade in 2025.
Interestingly enough, Smith didn’t have the San Antonio Spurs — Houston’s in-state, divisional rival — as a top-five destination for either Antetokounmpo or Durant. Betting markets have consistently ranked the Spurs as among the favorites for both players, so Smith’s evaluation of the market could perhaps be a favorable indicator for the Rockets.
All-Star players typically have at least some say in their destinations, since suitors aren’t likely to pay premium trade value if they aren’t convinced of the superstar’s desire to stick around beyond his current contract.
