James Harden Trade Talks Resuming
With training camp less than a month away, NBA teams are already in the process of finalizing their camp rosters- which could be the barometer as to how their depth charts could look like when the 2023-2024 season opens. However, just when things seemed to be calming down in Philadelphia, James Harden made sure to get the front office’s attention with this gem:
76ers-Clippers Talks to Resume
Sixers’ James Harden asked to be traded last June after he picked up a player option worth $35.6M for next season. This marked Harden’s third trade request in three years. However, the Sixers appeared to be in no rush to grant the former league MVP’s wish to be traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. Adding to the stalemate is the Clippers’ reported unwillingness to send young players or draft compensations for the 33-year-old shooting guard back to Philly.
While LA continues to contemplate breaking the Kawhi Leonard-Paul George duo up after years of early playoff exits, Harden is clearly attempting to force the front office’s hand out east by essentially pitting Daryl Morey against himself. Make no mistake about it, a line in the sand has been drawn, with Harden taking a “him or me” stance to end the summer.
Kawhi Leonard is now entering the third season of his current contract with the Clippers and could pick up a $48M player option by next year. Paul George is also eligible for a contract extension next month. Adding James Harden and his $35M salary for next season would put the Clippers in a disadvantageous situation with the new luxury tax aprons and their stiffer penalties for repeat offenders.
For much the same reason why Philadelphia was in no rush to extend Harden, the Clippers are taking the same approach with Kawhi Leonard. It remains unclear as to how the Sixers and the Clippers would facilitate a trade with neither wanting to give up much of anything. But, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, talks between the two sides involving James Harden began gaining traction even before “the beard” dropped “the bomb” on social media.
With a one-team to-one-team trade seemingly impossible right now, a third team may be required to fix things for both the Clippers and the Sixers.
Harden, the former third overall pick from the 2009 NBA Draft, averaged 21 points, 10.7 assists (tops across the NBA), and 6.1 rebounds on 38.5% three-point shooting last season. While he put up 20.3 points, 8.3 assists, 6.2 rebounds, and shot 37.8% from the three-point line during the 2023 playoffs, the Sixers still underachieved- losing to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
All that despite Joel Embiid winning his first MVP award, leading many to wonder whether drastic changes are needed to get over the hump in the City of Brotherly Love.
Even at 33 years old, Harden remains an elite scorer who could recapture some of his former magic with OKC backcourt mate Russell Westbrook. For the Sixers, at this point Harden appears to be a sunk cost. One who could make things worse in the media in an attempt to get his wish.
-Iggy Gonzales
Photo: Iam_chihang. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.