How Giannis signing an extension will affect a James Harden trade

The Houston Rockets, in the aftermath of Giannis Antetokounmpo signing an extension with the Milwaukee Bucks, are poised to capitalize on the monumental move when they engage in trade talks over James Harden.

The ongoing trade drama between the Houston Rockets and James Harden could be coming to a head sooner than anticipated with the news that Giannis Antetokounmpo has signed a five-year extension to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks. Many contenders had been holding out hope that the reigning two-time MVP would hit free agency in the summer of 2021.

With Giannis set to stay in Milwaukee, the best available player, this season and next is James Harden. There are only so many players who can completely change the trajectory of a franchise and more and more of them are now locked into long-term deals.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis signed contracts to keep them Los Angeles Lakers for at least the next three seasons. With Giannis Antetokounmpo joining the extension party the best available player set to hit free agency in 2021 will be Kawhi Leonard.

The ripple effect this will have on the league will show itself quickly and could see a whole host of teams up their pursuit of Harden. He is one of the best players in the league and is the only top player available for this season and next.

The NBA is run by superstars and their decisions shape the league. With Giannis off the table teams that were saving cap space for the summer of 2021 will have to completely alter their plans.

In the aftermath of Giannis’ extension, Rafael Stone’s phone is sure to be lighting up with a renewed interest in Harden’s services. These are the three ripple effects that Giannis signing his super-max extension will have on the James Harden trade.

Next: Number 3