James Harden made the surprising decision to pick up his $36 million player for the 2023-24 NBA season this week.
In doing so, he signaled a few things.
One, there is no long-term future for him in Philly. Two, the market for him was much softer than what he or his representatives must have anticipated. And three, wherever he is going next, he isn’t committing beyond one year.
As soon as Harden opted into his player option, word emerged that he and Sixers brass would begin working on a trade.
According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, the 76ers know exactly what they want to get for their guy.
“Clippers are among the teams interested in James Harden but the Sixers are already casting a wide net,” he wrote.
“Philadelphia front office has engaged with multiple teams, looking for a package of players that will fit alongside Joel Embiid.”
The Sixers are not interested in getting draft picks or building for the future. And if they do end up with picks, the goal will be to immediately flip them for someone who can compete for a title with Embiid.
At the moment there appears to be one clear frontrunner for Harden’s services, but time will tell how things ultimately play out.
When the 76ers decided to kick Doc Rivers off the boat following this past season, the move was viewed as one made to retain Harden. After all, he was the main one who had a beef with Rivers.
Kawhi’s birthday celebration photos go viral. https://t.co/ztGnQyU5gN
— Game 7 (@game7__) June 30, 2023
Obviously that wasn’t the case, though.
Philly didn’t want to commit to Harden long-term and now all parties involved are going their separate ways.
Where will Harden ultimately end up playing when the beginning of the 2023-24 NBA season rolls around? Time will tell.
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A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
