The Milwaukee Bucks have been in no shortage of NBA trade rumors, and neither has James Harden during the offseason. The 2023-2024 NBA regular season is right around the corner. Harden has expressed several times about how unhappy he has been with the Philadelphia 76ers.
One of the most important things for the Bucks in the long haul is to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo happy. Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report mentioned that Milwaukee should consider a James Harden trade for Jrue Holiday straight up. Milwaukee’s offense could benefit from having Harden on the roster rather than Holiday.
Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report wrote about James Harden, saying:
“Say what you will about the number of teams has given up on in recent years and the fact that he’s no longer at his peak, but he’s still one of the game’s best playmakers. Over the last three seasons, Harden has averaged 22.3 points and 10.5 assists per game. During his career, including the last few seasons, Harden’s teams have almost always scored at a high rate when he’s on the floor.”
Milwaukee Bucks Trading James Harden for Jrue Holiday Would be a Massive Risk
Jrue Holiday is one of those players that feels like that has to stay in order to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo happy. Holiday has won an NBA Championship before, and James Harden hasn’t. Harden has been known for disappearing in big playoff moments.
He is a great offensive player, but his defense is a massive question. Would the Bucks be willing to take the risk of trading Holiday’s defense for Harden’s offense? Another thing is that Giannis Antetokounmpo knows what it takes to win, and James Harden would not have to be the guy. He can be the playmaker like he has been and just get the job done.
There is no doubt that this would be a risky trade for both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Milwaukee Bucks. Harden will become a free agent after the 2023-2024 season. Also, if they were to trade for him, would they be willing to give him a contract at 34 years old? Jrue Holiday is 33 years old and will have a player option after this season. This would be a highly anticipated talked-about trade if it ever happened.
