Chris Mannix expects Rockets to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo trade

With team insiders citing a “ patient ” approach, the Houston Rockets didn’t pursue a trade for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo at the NBA’s in-season deadline in February. But that doesn’t preclude the possibility in the upcoming 2026 offseason. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (SI) — who got to know Rockets head coach Ime Udoka during his time coaching the Boston Celtics, where Mannix is based — seemingly expects Houston’s approach to change in a few months.

On Tuesday’s episode of Open Floor: SI's NBA Show , Mannix said: I believe the Rockets are going to try to make a run at Giannis Antetokounmpo in the offseason, so that looms. But I don’t believe the results of this year will result in them blowing it up. The complete episode can be viewed below, with the Rockets-specific discussion in the final minutes.

There is precedent for the Rockets, under general manager Rafael Stone, pursuing a trade target in the offseason who they didn’t pursue at the February deadline. In February 2025, the Rockets didn’t pursue a trade with the Suns for Kevin Durant, who was clearly on the market at that time. In June, Houston and Phoenix struck the deal .

There were and are a multitude of reasons for a team’s internal calculus to potentially change within those months. In the case of Durant, the Rockets factored in data from the ensuing playoff run, which featured an underwhelming performance from Jalen Green (a key piece of the eventual Durant trade). It’s also possible that by waiting until Durant was within one season of his next potential free agency, the Suns had less leverage and were in a worse negotiating position.