If the Milwaukee Bucks ever prioritize adding guards and capable wings in the offseason, the offense and positioning around two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo will be well taken care of, and in that case, front office could potentially trade large man Brook Lopez to the Houston Rockets for Steven Adams and Tari Eason.
In 2013, Steven Adams was selected 12th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder, becoming the second New Zealander to be selected in the first round of the NBA draft. Over the next few seasons, Adams developed into a reliable center, averaging a double-double in 2016 as the Thunder reached the Western Conference Finals. In 2016, he signed a four-year, $100 million contract with OKC.
After being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans and then the Memphis Grizzlies, Adams continued to be a productive rim protector and rebounder before a devastating knee injury in 2023 sidelined him for the entire 2023-24 season. He was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2024, where he will look to get back into form and contribute to the team’s rebuild.
Meanwhile, Eason, the 17th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, had an impressive debut with the Houston Rockets. He shined in the 2022 NBA Summer League, earning a spot on the All-NBA Summer League First Team. However, the power forward was hidden in Space City’s rotation last season, playing only 22 games for the team.
Milwaukee Bucks trade Brook Lopez for Steven Adams and Tari Eason from Houston Rockets in intriguing trade proposal
With his decline already expected to happen soon, the Bucks could do well to trade Lopez and get some value in return. In an article for Forbes, Brian Sampson explained why pursuing Lopes and Eason for the former All-Star will pay dividends down the road.
“On the other hand, Steven Adams could anchor the Bucks defense and provide a bit more athleticism in the middle. He’s one of the NBA’s most powerful players and top rebounders. Getting Tari Eason out of Houston would be a home run for Milwaukee. While Eason is buried on the Rockets’ depth chart, he could be a valuable piece for the Bucks. The move would also likely mean they’d consider trading Bobby Portis in a separate deal.” Sampson wrote.
Even though he only played 42 matches last seasonAdams, however, managed to average 8.6 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 blocks per game. In Eason’s case, the forward averaged 9.8 points on 36 percent shooting from deep, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
Having those two will aid add a recent layer to coach Doc Rivers’ offensive and defensive schemes for the Bucks. Instead of sticking with Lopez, a large man who has reached the peak of his career, Milwaukee might be better off with those two Rockets players.
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