While Stephen Curry is off doing miraculous things with the two-time defending champion Warriors, the Rockets have not forgotten how close they came to dethroning the champs.

Houston lost some of its key contributors to that team but now is making a monumental effort to acquire disgruntled Timberwolves guard Jimmy Butler.

The Rockets are offering four future first-round draft picks for Butler, according to ESPN, the maximum allowed under current league rules.

It’s a massive offer for a star the Rockets obviously believe could be the missing piece to a championship juggernaut, though the Timberwolves have shown surprisingly little interest in dealing Butler, who requested a trade in the preseason.

The 29-year-old Butler also told the Timberwolves he intends to become a free agent after the season – essentially an ultimatum to the team to trade him now or lose him for nothing later.

Some observers have claimed the Rockets were potentially a Chris Paul injury during the Western Conference final from hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy. Butler would give the team flexibility and insurance against such an injury this year.

Nevertheless, four first-round picks is a crazy haul, and the Nets could tell the Rockets a thing or two about how that sometimes works out.