Here's what it would take for the Rockets to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo

Don't look now, but the Houston Rockets are third in the Western Conference with perhaps the deepest, most balanced young core in the NBA. Ime Udoka has proven himself as one of the best coaches in the league. The Rockets' swarming, suffocating defense is highly impressive, especially when three of the highest-usage players are Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, and the rapidly aging Fred VanVleet.

There's a good chance this Rockets group can make noise in the West as is. This team won't dramatically fall off unless the front office executes a very purposeful tank. And we are past that point. Houston has deliberately invested in veterans and poured resources into developing young talent. We talk plenty about Sengun and Green, but what about Amen Thompson and Tari Eason? The Rockets' bench mob is one of the best in the NBA, largely due to the combined freneticism of Thompson and Eason on the defensive end. Those are future two-way stars, and the Rockets haven't even broken the seal on reigning No. 3 pick Reed Sheppard, the most impressive college basketball freshman in recent memory.

Houston has built a sustainable winner. That said, the Rockets are also equipped to really tilt the scales in their favor with a trade. Few teams boast more long-term draft capital and high-level prospects than the Rockets. Any team looking to trade its star in order to rebuild should probably start by dialing up Rafael Stone and the Rockets front office. Thompson, Eason, and the like won't come cheap, but for the right All-Star — or All-NBA — talent, Houston can splurge.

That brings us to the recent Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors.

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Rockets could sell the farm for Giannis Antetokounmpo if Bucks implosion continues

Kevin Durant is viewed as a "dream trade target" for the Rockets, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. Houston has signaled a desire to wait until the offseason to engineer a blockbuster trade, which some view as a stalling tactic to see if Durant becomes available. Well, if the Milwaukee Bucks ever trade Giannis, it probably won't happen until next summer. NBA front offices are taking notice.

"Similar whispers have begun to percolate among rival teams monitoring a potential down-the-road Houston pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo," writes Stein. "All of this comes to mind not only because the Bucks play host to the Rockets on Monday night but because Houston has one little-discussed edge if Antetokounmpo ever reaches the point that he wants to seek an exit from Brewtown: Houston legend Hakeem Olajuwon figures to be a very effective recruiter for the Rockets if they legitimately find themselves in the Giannis hunt someday."

That all seems very notable. The Rockets occupy a huge, underrated media market in a state with favorable income tax laws. Moreover, Houston has an immediate recruiting inroad and enough depth to acquire Giannis without completely tanking the rest of its roster. That is a great situation.

Here's what a potential trade might actually look like.

Another reason this trade probably doesn't happen until the offseason: Milwaukee can't aggregate salaries due to the second apron luxury tax penalties imposed by the new CBA. Swapping one player for four gets a bit tricky midseason. In the offseason, when roster spots open up and books clear out a bit, it becomes easier to maneuver.

This works salary-wise for both sides, although Houston would be lucky to get away with keeping all three of Jalen Green, Amen Thompson, and Tari Eason. Obviously, this trade would also include several first-round picks going to Milwaukee. The Brooklyn Nets famously received six picks for Mikal Bridges, so expect the tab to run up with Giannis. There's a good chance the Rockets are asked to part with six-plus quality picks and multiple former lottery prospects. And yeah, it's fair, because we are talking about one of the five best players in the NBA.

There are valid long-term concerns about Giannis as a non-shooter on the wrong side of 30, but he's such a singular athlete. It's hard to imagine Antetokounmpo falling off dramatically in the near future. His arrival would open up a legitimate championship window in Houston and that's the goal around these parts. To win it all. It's why we play the game.