Bill Simmons is delivering Doc Rivers’ message by erasing hopes of a James Harden trade

Any long-term linking of speculation James Harden that the Milwaukee Bucks appears to be closed, according to a message relayed by Bill Simmons and shared publicly by Zach Lowe. On the latest episode of The Zach Lowe Show, Lowe explained why a potential deal between Harden and Milwaukee is practically off the table, citing Harden’s strained history with the Bucks head coach. Doc Rivers.

Love said he looked into the possibility Consolidate trade scenarios during a discussion with Simmons, focusing primarily on Milwaukee as a theoretical destination given the franchise’s urgency to maximize its championship frame around Giannis Antetokounmpo. That idea, however, was quickly dismissed.

“The only Harden replacement I could think of, and I offered this one to Bill and he shot it right down,” Lowe said. “You just have to look in Milwaukee out of sheer desperation to see if they’re really trying to buy Giannis one last time. And I think they are, and if they’re not, they’re really bluffing everyone in the league that they are. That’s a name you have to look at despite the relationship with Doc and James, which obviously didn’t end well for him. And the Philadels beat him again.” that the Doctor and Bill are close, so take that for what it’s worth.”

Rivers coached Harden during his time with the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons. That partnership eventually ended Harden was forced out of Philadelphiaa departure that followed public frustration over contract negotiations and organizational direction. Lowe indicated that the effects of that period are still significant enough to prevent a reunion.

The relationship between Doc Rivers and James Harden remains an obstacle to a trade for the Bucks

Simmons’ connection to Rivers adds weight to the claims. The two have maintained a close relationship over the years, with Rivers often appearing on Simmons’ platforms during his time away from coaching. Rivers’ daughter, Kelly Curry, also hosts a podcast under Simmons’ network umbrella, further adding credibility to the message Lowe conveyed.

Lowe noted that Milwaukee was the only team where trading Harden made even marginal sense from a basketball standpoint, given the Bucks’ willingness to push their remaining assets into one last aggressive move around Antetokounmpo. That path is now closed, leaving Milwaukee to look for other options if it decides to reshape its roster.

Harden, 36, continues to produce despite the Los Angeles Clippers’ struggles. He’s averaging 25.8 points — his most since 2019-20 — along with 8.2 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from three-point range. The Clippers enter Tuesday night’s matchup against the Houston Rockets (17-9) with a 7-21 record.

Milwaukee, meanwhile, is 11–18 and riding a three-game losing streak. The Bucks will look to stop that slide when they face the Indiana Pacers (6–23) on a five-game road trip. With Harden no longer a viable target, Milwaukee’s front office faces increasing pressure to identify alternative paths forward as the season continues to wind down.