James Harden has been one of the most talked about players on the NBA market this offseason, even after opting into his contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. Following that decision, it was reported that the 76ers and Harden would search for a trade. Could the Milwaukee Bucks be a team that jumps into the Harden sweepstakes?
Over the last few years, the Bucks have always been a top championship contender. Giannis Antetokounmpo and company are fresh off of a brutal playoff loss to the Miami Heat and are looking to take the next step towards another championship next season.
Already this offseason, Milwaukee has been able to re-sign Khris Middleton, which was a major piece of their offseason puzzle. Jrue Holiday is still in town, but there have been some questions surrounding his intentions for the future. Adding a talent like Harden would be a move that takes them to the next level.
FanSided recently wrote an article breaking down the five best trade destinations for Harden to win a championship. They placed the Bucks as the No. 1 potential suitor.
NBA RUMORS & NEWS: Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, & James Harden Updates
“Harden-Giannis pick-and-rolls would be thoroughly destructive. Harden is an elite transition playmaker, constantly rocketing hit-ahead passes to teammates sprinting up the court. Giannis is the best fast-break player in the world. Khris Middleton would benefit from Harden’s smooth deliveries behind the 3-point line, as would Milwaukee’s gaggle of role-playing shooters. The Bucks would be quite scary on paper.”
Just like the article stated, envisioning a Harden-Antetokounmpo duo is an insanely fun idea. Harden receives a lot of criticism for his play, but he is an elite superstar. His ability to score would take pressure off of the “Greek Freak” and he would also be able to set up the rest of the Bucks with scoring opportunities.
During the 2022-23 season with the 76ers, Harden put together yet another masterful year. He averaged 21.0 points per game to go along with 10.7 assists and 6.1 rebounds. In addition to those averages, he shot 44.1 percent from the floor overall and knocked down 38.5 percent of his three-point attempts.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, & James Harden Updates
Those numbers show why the Bucks should aggressively pursue a trade for Harden. They like their current roster, but it simply isn’t good enough to get the job done.
Milwaukee did go out and make a nice free agency pickup in Malik Beasley. They also re-signed Brook Lopez and signed his brother Robin Lopez as well. It has been a decent offseason, but a trade for Harden would put the cherry on top of a perfect offseason.
Plenty of teams around the NBA would love to pull off a blockbuster trade for James Harden. The Bucks are arguably the best fit for him and they have pieces to make a deal work with the 76ers. This is something to keep an eye on moving forward.
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