Getty James Harden
Pending any surprises, it appears James Harden‘s next team will be the Los Angeles Clippers. What matters is what the Philadelphia 76ers can get in return for Harden in a trade. Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes proposed a trade that could potentially solve the Harden situation while getting some good pieces back.
Hughes proposed the following.
Sixers receive: Norman Powell, Nicolas Batum, Terrence Mann, Amir Coffey
Clippers receive: Harden, Furkan Korkmaz
Hughes explained why the Sixers would agree to a trade like this.
“For Philly, this is about getting off a player whose value will only diminish with time and then selling fans on the idea that the litany of guards and wings coming back for Harden make more sense around Joel Embiid. It isn’t a ridiculous claim to make, and Morey can argue that point while also emphasizing Tyrese Maxey’s expanded role with Harden gone.”
Powell will enter the third year of a five-year, $90 million contract with the Clippers. Powell may not be a star, but he’s coming off a season where he averaged 17 points a game on 47.9% from the field and 39.7% from three in 60 games.
Clippers ‘Fairly Unserious’ in James Harden Talks: Report
Though the interest between Harden and the Clippers appears mutual, Philly Voice’s Kyle Neubeck reported that the Clippers are not feeling much urgency to
“Even the Clippers, Harden’s preferred destination, have been fairly unserious about what they’re willing to give up in order to acquire him,” Neubeck wrote. “The prevailing sentiment seems to be that Harden is still valued, but on the team’s terms, which is a shift from the franchise-defining clout Harden had at his peak.”
Neubeck added that while Harden has a market, it’s not nearly as strongly as he would have liked it.
“There will still be a market for him regardless, but at the moment, it seems like there’s a disconnect between what the player wants it to be and what teams think it is.”
The Clippers, for now, are not feeling pressured to acquire Harden. Although it is odd that there’s not some semblance of urgency, considering they waived Eric Gordon, thus hurting their guard depth. If that rears its ugly head, that could give the Sixers some leverage.
James Harden’s Thoughts on Damian Lillard’s Trade Request
Harden is not the only one at an impasse with his franchise, as Damian Lillard is going through something similar with the Portland Trail Blazers. Harden commented on Lillard’s ongoing trade request while talking with USA Today Sports.
James Harden on Dame Lillard situation:
“I wouldn’t want an organization to send someone somewhere where they wouldn’t [want to] be… But then you don’t want to give that player away for nothing. So I get both sides.”
(Via: @USATODAY)
“I see both sides to where it’s—because I went through it—and I mean to where the organization wants to do what’s best for them. They don’t want to just give a player that basically is one of the best players they’ve ever had in their organization away for nothing or for less than, you know what I mean? So I get the organization side, and then I get the player side as far as wanting to play, wanting to be somewhere, whether it’s because it’s the right situation for you, for your family, or yourself, or whatever that person is going through.”