Nets Fans Can Relax: Rockets GM Shuts Down Giannis Trade Rumors

The Houston Rockets' general manager may have just put an offseason-long narrative to rest.

In an appearance on ESPN Radio’s Houston affiliate, GM Rafael Stone was asked (in a roundabout way to avoid naming the player specifically) if the Rockets had ever checked in with the Milwaukee Bucks about Giannis Antetokounmpo's availability. It turns out, they had.

"I deal well with [Bucks GM] Jon Horst, I really like him. Jon was very clear that they weren’t doing anything. So, that was that," Stone said.

While Houston was linked to the Greek Freak multiple times this summer, it instead opted to trade for Kevin Durant. However, the Rockets were never truly viewed as frontrunners. Based on assets and future draft capital alone, the Brooklyn Nets were continuously mentioned as the most likely external landing spot.

On paper, strictly value-wise, it did make sense. Brooklyn was sitting on a host of future first-rounders, including four (later five, after a trade with the Atlanta Hawks) in the 2025 NBA Draft alone and tons of young players. But the fit was never truly there, and as it turns out, Milwaukee was never actually interested in moving him.

That likely means that Antetokounmpo never asked out, which also means he may be content with the Bucks going forward. While purely speculative, all of these combined forces seem to elimin ate the Nets from the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes—for now.

The New York Post's Brian Lewis reported as far back as late 2024 that Brooklyn viewed Antetokounmpo as the "plan A." The Nets' front office sees him as the foundational figure the team's rebuild needs, but moving all of the future assets GM Sean Marks has accumulated doesn't help Antetokounmpo upon landing in Brooklyn.

A trade is out of the question. It just doesn't make logical sense, especially from a value standpoint.

What would be worthwhile, though, is a free agency signing of Antetokounmpo as early as the summer of 2028. Following the 2027-28 season, Antetokounmpo has a player option. If he never asks out of Milwaukee, he can simpl y walk away—and to Brooklyn—in as little as two seasons.

The Nets don't have to give up anything in exchange for the two-time MVP and get more of a grace period to build up their roster before Antetokounmpo's arrival. On the Bucks' end, they get two more shots at a title with Antetokounmpo as he honors his contract and never shocks the organization by asking out.

How perfect would that be?