NBA Trade Rumors: A case for and against the Milwaukee Bucks making a move for James Harden

James Harden on the Milwaukee Bucks seems like a very interesting idea. The Bucks were one of the NBA teams to get mentioned recently in the James Harden trade circus. Pairing Harden with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo can either end in a Championship, or abject disaster - but which one will it be?

Sources: James Harden now has the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat among his preferred trade destinations, along with the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets.More on Inside Pass at @TheAthleticNBA: https://t.co/Cp1Irm2VZN

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 10, 2020

The Bucks are an intriguing choice for Harden, given his history with Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two traded barbs after the 2020 All-Star Game, although Antetokounmpo started it with a nasty comment during the selection for Team Giannis and Team LeBron.

Giannis has got jokes 😂 #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/9m7cguXTMJ

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 7, 2020

Then, Antetokounmpo went at Harden once again after the game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo says the Team Giannis offensive strategy in the 4th quarter was to go at whoever James Harden was guarding pic.twitter.com/pXV3Blz49P

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) February 17, 2020

Afterwards, Harden responded with this comment:

James Harden addresses the comments Giannis made during the All-Star draft about assists: "I average more assists him than him, I think....I don't see what the joke is."Later: "But I wish I could just run and be 7 feet and just dunk." https://t.co/vRKMXpr3Wp pic.twitter.com/ecOzFoDsiQ

— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) February 28, 2020

NBA Trade Rumors: The case for the Milwaukee Bucks acquiring James Harden

Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden were likely just fooling around during All-Star Weekend and it is probably a non-issue now. When it comes to chasing a championship, the best players know that they need other stars alongside them if they want to win.

Can Giannis and Harden bury the hatchet?

Even if their beef with one another was real, Antetokounmpo and Harden will bury the hatchet.

The Chicago Bulls of the 1990s absolutely hated the Detroit Pistons for their bullying tactics to win their championships. But when it came time to address their rebounding problems at the power forward spot, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen didn’t even think twice about approving a deal to get Dennis Rodman.

Pippen should have been the harder sell since Rodman pushed him into the stands during a playoff game, causing the Bulls forward to need stitches afterward.

James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s history is petty in comparison so it’s hard to imagine the two not getting along.

With Harden on the floor, Antetokounmpo doesn’t have to have the ball in his hands all the time. They can take turns facilitating the offense and playing off of one another. A pick and roll between them will be devastating.

Having two of the top scorers in the game on one team is going to open up the floor for the Milwaukee Bucks, with an inside-outside duo that could end up being one of the best of all time.

NBA Trade Rumors: The case against the Milwaukee Bucks acquiring James Harden

Do the Bucks have to give up too much to get Harden?

In order to facilitate a trade for James Harden, the Milwaukee Bucks may have to give up more than they bargained for. Harden isn’t as bad a defender as his reputation would lead you to believe, but he’s far from being a defensive stopper.

Harden is an underachiever in the playoffs regardless of his success in the regular season. The problem is, that’s what the Milwaukee Bucks have been in the postseason the past two years as well.

Both Harden and the Milwaukee Bucks have failed miserably in the playoffs.

Will their marriage make both of them better? It’s quite possible but it’s hard to know for sure.

And that’s the problem.

The Milwaukee Bucks have to bet so many assets (Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez or Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez will go to Houston most likely aside from draft picks) in the belief that James Harden can change their fortunes. He hasn’t shown that he can perform at the highest level.

It’s hard to imagine the Milwaukee Bucks risking the fate of their franchise on a player who hasn’t proven himself in the playoffs.

Should they fail to win the title within the next two or three seasons (similar to the Houston Rockets situation), it’s difficult to imagine Harden staying in Milwaukee once his contract is up.