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Why trading for James Harden would be a bad idea for the Brooklyn Nets
SportsPulse: James Harden has started to make it clearer he wants out of Houston. While reconnecting with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn may look good on paper, Mark Medina explains why that could blow up in the Nets face.
What promises to be a wild NBA offseason has just gotten underway, and another big name is already on the move.
The Milwaukee Bucks were finalizing a deal to acquire guard Jrue Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans, according to multiple reports Monday night. ESPN and The Athletic reported the Pelicans will receive guards Eric Bledsoe and George Hill, plus three future first-round picks in return.
The deal comes at the beginning of a critical offseason for the Bucks, who have had the best record in the league each of the past two years but have failed to reach the NBA Finals. Two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is eligible to sign a super-max contract extension before the upcoming season, and the franchise has made it a top priority to surround its superstar with the talent to convince him to stay in Milwaukee long-term.
If Antetokounmpo declines to sign an extension, he would become a free agent in the summer of 2021, when he would undoubtedly be the top prize on the market.
New Orleans adds to its stockpile of assets with the trade. A year after dealing Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers for a haul of young players and picks, the Pelicans have a strong foundation upon which to rebuild.
