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USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
How good is Houston's top trio? Bleacher Report ranks them among NBA elite
'Adding Kevin Durant in place of Jalen Green to a young, successful, and elite defensive team was the perfect fit for the 15-time All-Star,' Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz writes. The Houston Rockets have a deep roster for the 2025-26 NBA season, but they also have plenty of star power near the top. With that in mind, Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz ranks Houston as having the fourth-best trio among all 30 NBA teams. 'The Rockets already had a strong net rating when Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson shared the floor last season (plus-11.1),' Swartz writes. 'The trade for Kevin Durant was also addition by subtraction, however, as Houston was a ridiculous plus-26.8 with Şengün, Thompson, and noJalen Green in 772 possessions last season.' 'Adding Durant in place of Green to a young, successful, and elite defensive team was the perfect fit for the 15-time All-Star,' he adds via Bleacher Report. Sengun earned his first All-Star honor last season, and the hope is that Thompson isn't far behind. The three superior trios on Bleacher Report's list are the No. 3 Cleveland Cavaliers (Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Darius Garland); the No. 2 Denver Nuggets (Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon); and the No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren). Immediately behind Houston at No. 5 are the Los Angeles Clippers, who have former Rockets star James Harden paired with Kawhi Leonard and Bradley Beal. Honorable mentions went to the Los Angeles Lakers (Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves), New York Knicks Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby), and Golden State Warriors (Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green). More: Entering 2025-26 season, has Houston become the NBA's deepest team?
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Trade Idea Lands Giannis Antetokounmpo With Eliminated 2025 Playoff Team
If Giannis Antetokounmpo requests a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks this summer, one NBA analyst thinks a team eliminated in the first round of this year's playoffs should trade for the superstar. Some believe Antetokounmpo should ask out of Milwaukee since the franchise has won just one postseason series since winning the 2021 championship against the Phoenix Suns and Damian Lillard will miss a chunk of next season recovering from his Achilles tear. Advertisement Should Antetokounmpo request a trade, Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report proposed that the Houston Rockets trade Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, Aaron Holiday, a 2025 first-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick to the Bucks for the future Hall of Famer. "Antetokounmpo is exactly what this team needs: A No. 1 scoring option who's also a skilled passer and can dominate on both ends of the ball," Swartz wrote. "In this proposal, the two-time MVP would join a core of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason to create a powerhouse in the West ready to compete for championships." Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo© Benny Sieu-Imagn Images The Rockets made the playoffs this year for the first time since 2020. They lost to the Golden State Warriors in the first round in seven games. Advertisement Antetokounmpo has spent his entire career with the Bucks. He's a two-time MVP, a one-time Finals MVP, a one-time Defensive Player of the Year and a nine-time All-Star with career averages of 23.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks. Milwaukee signed Antetokounmpo to a three-year, $175 million extension in October 2023. Antetokounmpo will make $54.1 million next season. Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.2 blocks for the Bucks this season. He shot 60.1% from the field, 22.2% from 3 and 61.7% from the foul line. Milwaukee lost to the Indiana Pacers in the first round in five games. Related: NBA Trade Idea Sends Giannis Antetokounmpo to Spurs, Zion Williamson to Bucks
