First reported by The Athletic, the Milwaukee Bucks are on the list of preferred trade destinations for James Harden, and the interest should be mutual.
It has been an offseason filled with headlines for the Milwaukee Bucks, and they found themselves in the news once again early Thursday morning.
As The Athletic’s Shams Charania ($$) initially reported, the Bucks are on a list of contending teams that eight-time All-Star James Harden would like to get traded to. Harden has been adamant about wanting out of Houston and joining a contender, and seeing Milwaukee on his list of preferences is certainly intriguing.
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With that being said, here are three reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks would be wise to pursue a trade for James Harden as the 2020-21 season approaches.
No. 3 – James Harden is a superstar talent
Right off the bat, it is impossible to ignore James Harden’s level of talent. With an MVP trophy, eight All-Star nominations, and seven All-NBA selections just scratching the surface of his highly-decorated resume, there is no questioning the level of talent Harden possesses.
Since his MVP campaign back in 2017-18, Harden has been a consensus top-five player in the league. In the past three seasons, the guard has averaged 33.7 points on .445/.363/.868 shooting splits, 6.2 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. Could numbers like that help the Milwaukee Bucks in their quest for a championship? Absolutely.
Yes, Harden’s isolated play style is undoubtedly hard to get behind sometimes, but the shooting and playmaking that he brings to the table are elite tools in his offensive arsenal. Milwaukee addressed their needs for those in the trade for Jrue Holiday this offseason, but adding Harden into the mix would only turn things up a notch with another star.
Above all else, anytime that a superstar is made available, teams have to listen, especially when that star has specific destinations in mind.