One of the strangest storylines of this NBA offseason has been the uncertainty surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo. Speculation of a potential exit from the Milwaukee Bucks sparked plenty of noise, but as training camp approaches, nothing has materialized.

The Houston Rockets were never seriously in the mix for Antetokounmpo, and now the reason is clear. According to general manager Rafael Stone, the Bucks made it known from the start that their two-time MVP was untouchable in trade discussions, even as rumors swirled that Houston had emerged as a dark horse candidate earlier in the summer.

“No,” Stone said when asked directly about the talk. “I deal well with Jon Horst [Bucks GM], I really like him. Jon was very clear that they weren’t doing anything. So, that was that.”

Before the Rocke

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