After Doc Rivers was fired from his post as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, he went on The Dan Patrick Show and, without mincing words, said that his relationship with James Harden was the reason he was let go.
"You know what was funny about our relationship? It was an honest one. I'll tell you that. It's probably why I'm doing TV (as a commentator) right now."
So, you're telling me a James Harden trade to the Bucks probably isn't in the cards?
Granted, the Los Angeles Clippers might not even put James Harden on the trade block in the next two months. That would be massively stupid, if you ask me (the Clippers are 6-20 and extremely old) but they're really doing their own thing over there. However, even if Harden does become available, don't expect the Bucks to jump at the opportunity because of the strained relationship between Doc and Harden.
On one hand, it's a bummer that a coach is the roadblock to being in the mix for potentially the biggest name on the trade market this season. On the other hand... Trading for James Harden is an extreme sport, so maybe Doc is inadvertently saving the front office from itself.
Doc Rivers either cost the Bucks a shot at a star — or saved them
Picture this; the Bucks trade for James Harden, but he's not enough to turn them from a middling team to a contending one, and the Bucks remain in purgatory. Giannis still wants to be traded, so the front office is forced to make the dreaded deal, and then the Bucks are left with James Harden, no Giannis, and a bunch of picks.
That's gotta be worst-case scenario, right?
I don't want to hate on James Harden as a player because he's still extremely impressive to watch most nights. But the team he's on right now is 6-20; it's not like Harden is a team-saver by himself, and the Bucks are probably more than one James Harden (especially considering what they'd have to give up to get him) away from getting back in the mix in the East. I know that right now it feels like everything is worth a shot if the front office thinks they can persuade Giannis to stay — but a 36 year-old James Harden doesn't feel like the thing that changes the tides.
Luckily, or unluckily, it doesn't matter whether Harden would save the Bucks or cast them into more chaos, because Doc burned that bridge long ago.