If the two-time MVP hits the market, a few deals are conversation starters. But are they enough to get the job done?

Pulling them away from it is a 30-year-old Giannis Antetokounmpo — still in his prime, albeit ticking — and a 34-year-old Damian Lillard, though he isn't able to do much with a year-long recovery process awaiting him as he doctors an achilles tear suffered in just his second game back from a deep vein thrombosis diagnosis.

The Rockets find themselves on the cusp of championship contention. Their disruptive, dominant defense is camera-ready for basketball's biggest stage. Their competitive fire and the fight instilled under head coach Ime Udoka can keep sturdy legs beneath them through the final rounds of a heavyweight brawl.