NBA Rumors: James Harden To Bucks, Khris Middleton To Rockets In Proposed Three-Team Deal Involving Cavaliers
As the 2020-21 NBA season draws closer, several interesting trade ideas involving Houston Rockets superstar James Harden continue to surface in the league. These include a three-team blockbuster deal involving the Cleveland Cavaliers that would send Harden to the Milwaukee Bucks and Khris Middleton to the Houston Rockets. In the proposed scenario by N.B. Lindberg of Fansided’s Space City Scoop, the Bucks would receive Harden and Larry Nance Jr., the Rockets would get Middleton and Kevin Love, and the Cavaliers would acquire Eric Gordon, Brook Lopez, Pat Connaughton, P.J. Tucker, and Donte DiVincenzo.
The suggested deal could make a lot of sense for the Bucks, especially now that Giannis Antetokounmpo has yet to sign the massive contract extension that they recently offered. Lindberg believes that the successful acquisition of Harden would not only convince Antetokounmpo to ink a new deal but would also strengthen Milwaukee’s chances of dominating the Eastern Conference and bringing home the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the 2020-21 NBA season.
“The Bucks’ return of Harden and Nance makes them the most dangerous team in the Eastern Conference. Middleton is a good player but Harden is at a completely different level. A Giannis and Harden pick and roll was thought to only be possible in NBA2K. Nance isn’t a household name but he is a solid frontcourt option that can do some of the things that the Bucks asked of Brook Lopez. Besides, Lopez’s rim protection is not nearly as valuable to the Bucks who have Antetokounmpo to defend the paint.”
The potential arrival of Harden could tremendously improve the Bucks’ performance on the offensive end of the floor. He would give them a very reliable scoring option who could take charge of the offense and excel in crucial situations when the opposing team’s defense is focused on Antetokounmpo. Aside from being a prolific scorer, he’s also a decent playmaker and an elite three-point shooter.
Last season, he averaged 34.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.8 steals while shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN. Harden isn’t expected to have a hard time sharing the Bucks’ backcourt with Holiday since the latter is capable of excelling in an off-ball capacity and playing at the shooting guard position.
Meanwhile, if the trade would push forward, it might not only be beneficial for the Bucks, but also for the Rockets and the Cavaliers. For the Rockets, the proposed scenario could allow them to remain competitive in the post-Harden era. With Love and Middleton joining the core of John Wall, Christian Wood, and DeMarcus Cousins, the Rockets could still make a huge noise in the loaded Western Conference next year.
For the Cavaliers, the suggested deal would enable them to unload the contracts of Love and Nance while acquiring a young and promising talent like DiVincenzo. If they feel like focusing on the development of their young core, they could flip Lopez, Gordon, Tucker, and Connaughton into future draft assets before the 2021 trade deadline.
