175 million yuan was obtained in three years! Antetokounmpo is close to the Rockets? Texas has an advantage, and the two teams are chasing superstars together

Although Antetokounmpo's Bucks were eliminated by the Pacers in the first round of the playoffs early, Antetokounmpo's performance is indeed no problem. After all, in the playoffs, Antetokounmpo averaged 33 points and 15 rebounds per game. So, for the Rockets who have been looking for a superstar with offensive hard-hitting ability, it is really necessary to chase him. The problem with the Rockets now is neither that their role players are not good nor that their young players lack talent, but that they lack a superstar like Durant and Antetokounmpo. Both superstars are the targets the Rockets are chasing this summer. Although Rockets general manager Raphael Stone repeatedly stressed that it is possible to maintain the continuity of the lineup and there may not be any major deals this summer, the Rockets' ceiling has already emerged - they have become the second in the regular season, and in the playoffs, if there is no superstar with strong scoring ability, the Rockets will probably have to stop in the first round next season.

So, the Rockets say that they don't need superstars, but in fact, if a superstar is put into the trading market, the Rockets will definitely be the first to chase them. After all, the Rockets now have a large number of chips to use.

In the face of Antetokounmpo's temptation, no player in the Rockets is a non-selling player, including their center Shin Kyung and forward Amen Thompson. So, what is Antetokounmpo’s intention for the Rockets? Although there have been reports that Antetokounmpo yearns for teams in some big cities, the Rockets are also under their consideration. Although Houston is not as good as New York and Los Angeles, Houston is also one of the biggest cities in the United States. If you come to the Rockets, Antetokounmpo will attract more attention.

In addition, according to NBA famous reporter Sam Amiko, Antetokounmpo is very interested in the fact that the Rockets and Spurs are located in Texas, which does not impose income tax. In other words, although Antetokounmpo has signed a huge maximum salary contract, he still wants to get more salary. If you go to teams in other states, you will definitely have to pay income tax; but if you go to three teams in Texas - the Mavericks, the Spurs and the Houston Rockets, there will be huge discounts in terms of taxes at least. Therefore, this is also one of the advantages of the Rockets and Spurs chasing Antetokounmpo.

If the Rockets can make good use of these advantages and use very sincere chips to impress the Bucks, then Antetokounmpo will have a chance to become a Rockets player next season. According to previous news, Antetokounmpo reached an early contract renewal with the Bucks in 2023. He signed a three-year, $175 million super maximum salary, which will take effect in the 2025-2026 season. Today, Texas has advantages that make Antetokounmpo infinitely close to the Rockets.

Both the Spurs and the Rockets are very interested in Antetokounmpo during the offseason, and the two teams also have many first-round draft picks and young players. In contrast, it is obvious that these two teams in Texas are more competitive when chasing Antetokounmpo. The Rockets have proved themselves this season. They have very good second- and third-leader players, as well as a top-notch role player lineup and an excellent coach Uduka. As long as you can get a superstar, the Rockets will have the ability to compete for the championship next season.