With the 2020-21 NBA season now entering its third week, the James Harden trade saga continues. While his name will dominate the league's buzz until he's eventually moved, some other names have popped up in rumors as well...
The NBA is in full swing as it heads into its first full week of 2021. There are no undefeated teams and no winless teams either with the Pistons and Wizards getting their first wins Friday...
The first week-plus of the 2020-21 NBA season has come and gone. James Harden is still a member of the Houston Rockets...
Report: Giannis Was Asked About James Harden Trade; Bucks Passed on Pursuit
Dec 31, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo tries to drive past Houston Rockets' James Harden during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 7, 2018, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
The Milwaukee Bucks reportedly ran the idea of potentially trading for Houston Rockets guard James Harden past reigning two-time NBA MVP and face of the franchise Giannis Antetokounmpo.
According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the Bucks ultimately decided against pursuing Harden, who is by far the highest-profile player known to be on the trade block.
Houston is not obligated to trade Harden, who is under contract through at least next season, but his status has been a hot-button issue ever since ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported in November that he turned down a contract extension offer from the Rockets and asked to be traded to the Brooklyn Nets.
While Harden's preferred destination is reportedly Brooklyn,Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahonlater reported that Harden is also open to a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers or potentially other contenders.
The Bucks undoubtedly fit the description of contenders, as they have finished with the best record in the NBA in each of the past two seasons.
Playoff success has eluded Milwaukee, as it was ousted in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2019 and the second round of the playoffs last season, but it can be argued that the Bucks are just one player away from going the distance.
Perhaps that player is guard Jrue Holiday, who the Bucks acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans in a blockbuster trade during the offseason. In landing Holiday, the Bucks brought in a fourth player who has been named an All-Star at some point during their career, joining Giannis, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez.
The Bucks are off to something of a slow start this season at 2-3, and Holiday hasn't fully hit his stride yet, averaging 16.4 points, 5.2 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game.
With the aforementioned players plus Donte DiVincenzo, Bobby Portis and a host of other supporting cast members, however, the Bucks boast a deep and talented roster that may be enough to get them to the NBA Finals this season when all is said and done.
Acquiring Harden would have given the Bucks a legitimate second superstar and a player who has won the scoring title three years in a row with over 30 points per game.
It would also have meant the past three MVP winners would be on the same team, as Harden won it in 2018 before Giannis took the honors in back-to-back seasons.
It could have been an exciting partnership, but there is no guarantee Giannis and Harden would have co-existed, especially after things between Harden and high-profile teammates such as Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook went sour in Houston over the past couple of years.
Instead, the Bucks will try to do it with one superstar and a host of quality players around him, which has become the path less traveled in the NBA during an era of superteams.
NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on Bucks' Interest in James Harden, Nets Trade Options
Dec 31, 2020
Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 28, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
James Harden has a list of preferred destinations if the Houston Rockets can engineer a trade, but one of those franchises is not reciprocating that interest.
After a busy offseason, the Milwaukee Bucks are seemingly content to build around a core of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton. Harden, per Sam Amick of The Athletic, "isn't seen as a culture fit" in Milwaukee.
Whether that's correct is a subjective opinion, but several factors are undoubtedly a part of this conversation.
Harden's production and talent speak for themselves. He's averaged 29.7 points and 7.7 assists over a nine-season span in Houston and enters the 2020-21 campaign with three straight scoring titles. All 30 NBA franchises are interested in that.
The concerns, though, are Harden's ball-dominant playing style, lackluster defense and possible personality clashes.
Some teams are willing to accept those obstacles, and others may insist his playing style, defense or personality aren't actually a problem anyway. Those determinations can vary, and they're not the only possible topics to consider.
But for whatever reason—Amick's report did not specify one—Milwaukee believes Harden wouldn't fit the roster.
Another team on Harden's list, the Brooklyn Nets, is now dealing with a different trade discussion.
While the previous rumors connecting Harden and Brooklyn led to no serious conversations, that didn't stop the research of hypothetical trade options. But short of including Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving, it basically always resulted in a deal involving at least Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert.
Dinwiddie, however, is now seriously injured.
In a recent game against the Charlotte Hornets, he exited with a partially torn ACL in his right knee. Dinwiddie will undergo surgery and miss the rest of the 2020-21 season.
Dinwiddie leaves a major void on the roster, given he averaged 20.6 points last season. That kind of scoring punch is especially valuable for a team expected to manage minutes for both Durant and Irving. Chris Chiozza has stepped into Dinwiddie's role, but Brooklyn may want to bolster the roster.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype noted an Eastern Conference executive thinks the Nets will target a like-for-like replacement.
"I think Brooklyn will look to trade for another point guard," the anonymous executive told Scotto. "They could look to move Spencer with a pick to get a player."
Dinwiddie has an $11.5 million salary in 2020-21 and $12.3 million player option for 2021-22, per HoopsHype. Perhaps he's more likely to exercise that option because of the injury, but the possibility of Dinwiddie opting out will be a factor in determining his value for any potential suitor.
Brooklyn will probably wait to see how Chiozza performs and determine if a Dinwiddie trade is even necessary closer to the March 25 deadline.
Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR
Tyler Herro, Heat Bounce Back from 47-Point Loss to Beat Giannis, Bucks 119-108
Dec 30, 2020
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, right, controls the ball as Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, back left, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Sometimes the best cure for a blowout loss is just to go right back out and play.
The Miami Heat defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 119-108 in Wednesday's rematch at AmericanAirlines Arena just one day after losing by a stunning 47 points as the visitors set an NBA record with 29 made three-pointers in a single game. Goran Dragic, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro led the way for the Jimmy Butler-less victors, who improved to 2-2 on the campaign with the bounce-back effort.
Milwaukee fell to 2-3 on the season despite a solid showing from Giannis Antetokounmpo and is yet to establish much consistency in the early going, even taking Tuesday's showing into account.
The fictional soccer coach Ted Lasso told one of his players to "be a goldfish" and quickly forget about his mistakes on the Apple TVshow, which, frankly, was perfect advice for the Heat coming into Wednesday's game.
Miami came out with exactly the type of energy one would expect for a team looking to put an abysmal performance in the rearview mirror.
The perimeter defense that was nonexistent in Tuesday's loss swarmed Milwaukee's outside shooters and held the visitors to 19 points in the first quarter. Throw in a monster Kendrick Nunn dunk, Dragic providing a spark off the bench, Herro weaving his way through the defense as a ball-handler without Butler and Adebayo's attack down low, and it was clear this was a different Heat team.
Even when the Bucks' hot shooting returned after the first quarter, there were plenty of positive signs that weren't there in the first matchup.
Kelly Olynyk provided energy off the bench, Adebayo took it right at Giannis and facilitated when needed, Avery Bradley added secondary scoring, and the Dragic and Herro combination carried the offense for stretches as the primary playmakers.
All of it was needed to stay in the game with 22 turnovers one day after coughing it up 21 times in the first loss, and Olynyk's triple gave Miami the lead in the fourth quarter after it fell behind by double digits in the third.
That was all the home team needed as it never looked back and pulled further ahead with multiple Dragic threes and a strong defensive effort with the game on the line. The defense from the first quarter was even better in the fourth, which is a testament to the team's resilience and effort after Tuesday's embarrassing performance.
Bucks Collapse in Fourth Quarter
It was important for the Bucks to prove this season they are more than Antetokounmpo and the sidekicks after losing to the Toronto Raptors and Heat in the last two playoffs when the opposition packed the lane and cut off his penetration.
Tuesday was a positive with the superstar scoring just nine points but the team as a whole pouring in 144 with red-hot shooting in the spacing created by defenders collapsing on Giannis.
It looked to be more of the same in the rematch with five Bucks scoring in double figures, Jrue Holiday doing a little bit of everything, Donte DiVincenzo and Pat Connaughton hitting from the outside, and even Bobby Portis finding his stroke.
The result was plenty of assists for Giannis on his way to a triple-double, although it was just a matter of time before the scoring came.
The two-time MVP found some cracks in the defense and even hit multiple threes as the Bucks appeared to be well on their way to a victory. And then the fourth quarter happened.
Suddenly, the offense started to stall in crunch time with No. 2 option Khris Middleton turning in an abysmal offensive showing at 3-of-15 from the field. That allowed Miami to lock in on the other members of the supporting cast as the visitors managed just 17 points in the final quarter.
That might have worked against the Heat on Tuesday, but it didn't on Wednesday.
What's Next?
Both teams are in action Friday when the Bucks host the Chicago Bulls and the Heat are at the Dallas Mavericks.
Bucks GM: Giannis Signing Supermax Contract 'Wasn't an Easy Decision for Him'
Dec 30, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) looks up as he walks onto the court before the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Giannis Antetokounmpo committed to the Milwaukee Bucks when he signed a supermax contract extension on Dec. 15, but the reigning two-time NBA MVP didn't take his decision lightly.
Speaking to Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Bucks general manager Jon Horst said it "wasn't an easy decision for" Antetokounmpo to re-sign with the franchise.
The biggest question of the NBA offseason was whether the Bucks had made enough to moves to get Antetokounmpo to sign his extension, notably having added Jrue Holiday. If the Dec. 21 deadline had passed without the sides reaching a deal, the 26-year-old would have been an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Alex Saratsis, Antetokounmpo's agent, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski the deal is for $228 million over five years and includes an opt-out after the fourth season.
This is my home, this is my city.. I’m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years. Let’s make these years count. The show goes on, let’s get it. 🤎🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/895tCBE9RK
The Athletic's Nehm, Shams Charania and Sam Amick broke down details of the negotiations between Antetokounmpo's camp and the Bucks on the day the deal was agreed upon.
"One day, he's in 1,000 percent. The next day, he's asking more questions," one source told The Athletic about Antetokounmpo's discussions with the team.
Nehm, Charania and Amick noted one of the big breakthrough moments for the Bucks came Dec. 12 when governors Marc Lasry and Wes Edens met with Saratsis in Chicago, but that was after "days upon days of deliberating for Antetokounmpo and his inner circle."
Ultimately, the Bucks got the agreement they desperately needed.
Antetokounmpo's decision allows him to give full attention to basketball without having to answer questions about his future. The next step is to get the Bucks over the hump in the playoffs after they led the NBA in regular-season wins each of the past two seasons.
Khris Middleton, Bucks Set Single-Game 3-Point Record in 144-97 Rout vs. Heat
Dec 29, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots next to Miami Heat forward Kelly Olynyk (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
It won't make up for last season's playoff loss, but the Milwaukee Bucks earned some revenge on the Miami Heat on Tuesday.
Milwaukee defeated Miami 144-97 at AmericanAirlines Arena in an Eastern Conference playoff rematch. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday led the way for the victors, who are still looking for consistency amid a 2-2 start to the campaign but set an NBArecord with 29made threes in the dominant performance.
The Heat were playing without Jimmy Butler and fell to 1-2 despite a solid showing from Tyler Herro. They have yet to look like a championship contender in the season's early stages.
RECORD BROKEN.
The Milwaukee Bucks break the NBA record for threes in a game with 28 (and counting). pic.twitter.com/56DW54kVoB
Giannis' Teammates Drain Threes in Dominant Victory
Tuesday represented Milwaukee's first shot at Miami since its playoff loss, and it wasted no time sending a message.
The Bucks scored the game's first 12 points, jumped out to a 21-3 lead and poured in 83 points in a dominant first half. Miami had success against Milwaukee during the playoffs by clogging the lane to stop Giannis Antetokounmpo's penetration, but his teammates were ready to take advantage of the resultant space.
The visitors hit 15 threes in the first half alone, with Brook Lopez and Middleton each converting four-point plays. Middleton, Lopez, Donte DiVincenzo and Holiday all caught fire early, while even Bobby Portis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo connected from deep in an incredible display of shooting.
The Bucks’ 46 points are their 3rd most in an opening quarter in franchise history and their most on the road.
On the other side, the 46 points allowed in the opening quarter by the Heat are their 2nd most in franchise history and their most at home. pic.twitter.com/hskbsmLrfK
Giannis largely took a backseat scoring-wise, although he dished out plenty of assists to the shooters and turned heads when he went coast-to-coast for a monster dunk.
While it is dangerous to draw too many conclusions from a regular-season game—especially one in which the opponent's best player missed—this was exactly the type of performance Milwaukee needed against a fellow Eastern Conference contender.
Stopping Antetokounmpo will be priority Nos. 1, 2 and 3 for any opponent in the playoffs, so the Bucks' supporting cast needs to take advantage of the open looks and knock them down. Adding a veteran leader like Holiday who can score himself and make sure his teammates are in the right position should also provide something that Milwaukee was missing in the playoffs last season.
If the Bucks shoot even close to how they did Tuesday, they could come out of the Eastern Conference.
Solid Showing from Tyler Herro Nowhere Near Enough for Heat
While Butler, who was sidelined with anankle injury, is Miami's go-to option in crunch time and two-way star who can impact the game on either end, part of what makes this team a threat in the Eastern Conference is its overall depth.
That was on full display during the Christmas Day win over the New Orleans Pelicans when six players scored in double figures, and Butler was not one of them. The formula is still there to compete against elite teams such as Milwaukee with Bam Adebayo's versatility, Goran Dragic's spark off the bench and shooting from Duncan Robinson and Herro.
Herro was apparently the only one who received the message Tuesday.
The Kentucky product did what he could to keep his team within striking distance with 20 points in the first half. He did much of the ball-handling without Butler and hit from the outside, weaved his way through the defense and helped set up others.
It was nowhere near enough, though, as the game was over by halftime.
Both teams largely went through the motions as they played out the string following intermission, but Herro's performance at least gave Miami something to build on going into Wednesday's game.
He played well even with Holiday hounding him as the Heat's go-to playmaker, and he should be even better when Butler returns and takes some of the defense's attention off him.
What's Next?
These teams face each other again in Miami on Wednesday.
Giannis Says Bucks Are 'Going to Be Fun to Watch' After Blowout Win vs. Warriors
Dec 25, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo plays against the Boston Celtics during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo concurs with many of the outside assessments about how the squad is on stronger footing as it attempts to reach the NBA Finals.
"The Milwaukee Bucks this year, we're good ... we're better," Antetokounmpo told reporters after a 138-99 win over the Golden State Warriors. "We have some great guys that we added to the team. They're playing the right way, and once everything fits in together, we're going to be good. It's going to be fun to watch."
Jrue Holiday finished with 12 points, six assists and four rebounds. Bobby Portis posted a double-double (10 points, 12 rebounds) off the bench. Even D.J. Augustin chipped in with 13 points in 13 minutes on the floor.
The Bucks clearly didn't do as much as they would've liked in the offseason since the Bogdan Bogdanovic sign-and-tradefell through. Milwaukee didn't pivot to another marquee acquisition, either, once Bogdanovic became off limits.
General manager Jon Horst clearly needed to do something after the team was overmatched against the Miami Heat in the second round. There's always some danger, though, in overreacting and doing too much, which in the Bucks' case would have been something like trading Khris Middleton.
Antetokounmpo'sdecision to signa supermax extension was itself an endorsement of what the front office has done.
The failure to land Bogdanovic might prove to be just fine for Milwaukee since Donte DiVincenzo has combined points and shot 6-of-9 from beyond the arc through two games. Perhaps the gap between Bogdanovic and DiVincenzo isn't as large as Horst thought.
Of course, the conversation around the Bucks might change a bit by Wednesday night, when they will have completed the second half of a back-to-back against the Heat. Those games will be an early barometer as to whether Milwaukee is improved.
Giannis, Khris Middleton, Bucks Dominate Stephen Curry, Warriors on Christmas
Dec 25, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks' Khris Middleton plays against the Boston Celtics during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
After a disappointing loss on opening night, the Milwaukee Bucks bounced back on Christmas Day with a 138-99 win over the Golden State Warriors.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had a double-double, but it was Khris Middleton who starred in Friday's win with 31 points for the Bucks (1-1) at Fiserv Forum.
Milwaukee built a 10-point lead by halftime and kept full control in the second half, going up 30 early in the fourth quarter and holding on for an easy victory. A 20-of-37 effort from three-point range was key in the team's first win of the year as the Warriors simply couldn't keep up on the scoreboard.
Stephen Curry led the way for Golden State (0-2) with 19 points, but he couldn't avoid a brutal start to the season:
The Warriors are the 4th team in NBA history to lose their first 2 games by at least 25 points each (last: 1989-90 Warriors).
Today's 39-point loss is the largest margin of defeat on Christmas by any team since 1960. pic.twitter.com/PTolvk42bq
Stephen Curry, PG, GS: 19 points, 6 assists, 2-of-10 from 3
James Wiseman, C, GS: 18 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks
Andrew Wiggins, SF, GS: 12 points, 6 rebounds
KhrisMiddleton Carries Deep Bucks Lineup
GiannisAntetokounmpodidn't look anything like himself in the first half with six points, but he settled down in the second for another solid effort on the stat sheet and highlights:
Though sometimes overlooked on this roster, the two-time All-Star was one of the best players on the court in the first game of the season (27 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists) and looked the part again in this one.
The offense was especially impressive as Middleton created his own looks with regularity and was nearly impossible to defend.
The remaining rotation helped out as well with DonteDiVincenzoandJrueHoliday among those providing scoring depth.
Defensively, it was a strong effort throughout with players especially doing a good job defending the perimeter. The Warriors were held to just 34.3 percent shooting, including 10-of-45 from three-point range.
Though Giannis is the team's biggest star, it's the defense and depth that has truly carried the Bucks over the past couple of seasons, and it was the main story in this game.
JamesWisemanImpresses in Second NBA Game
We have seen only two games from JamesWiseman,but the talent is obvious from the No. 2 overall draft pick.
The center flashed his potential in a variety of ways Friday, excelling as a scorer and defender:
There were certainly growing pains as Wiseman dealt with foul trouble early and often struggled to match up with the veteran talent on the other side of the court.
He is still off to a strong start in his career after tallying 19 points and six rebounds in his debut Tuesday.
The rest of the Warriors were much more of a concern in this one, especially KellyOubre Jr.and Andrew Wiggins combining to shoot 7-of-28 from the field while missing all nine three-point shots.
Curry had 19 points, although he had to work hard for seemingly every shot:
It could mean Golden State relies heavily onWisemanas the big man continues his rookie season.
What's Next?
It will be a quick holiday for both teams, which will be on the road for games Sunday. The Warriors will take on the Chicago Bulls, while the Bucks will travel to face the New York Knicks.
