In an effort to get traded to his chosen team, the Los Angeles Clippers, James Harden extended his contract with the Philadelphia 76ers through the 2023–24 season more than two months ago. Unfortunately, The Beard’s plans haven’t come to fruition. Harden is still detained in the City of Brotherly Love with just over a month until the start of the season because trade negotiations between the two parties have frequently failed.
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But according to an old proverb, if it doesn’t work the first or second time, it might work the third. possibly the fourth. It’s unclear at this point whether Harden will ever get what he wants.
But the Sixers guard is hoping so. Harden “is still hoping to be traded” to the Clippers, according to Yahoo Sports via ClutchPoints Twitter (X).
Given how much clout elite players have in the NBA, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Sixers eventually cave and simply send James Harden away to put this saga behind them. However, if the Sixers are to make the most of Joel Embiid’s prime, they must maximise Harden’s worth as a trade asset. A trade with the Clippers doesn’t exactly help in that regard, as they lack the high-value assets, particularly first-round selections and high-potential young players, to tempt the Sixers to make a deal.
The Sixers must take into account their position in this leverage battle, though. Only one year is left on Harden’s deal, and given his unpredictable demeanor, teams might not be overly excited about The Beard. Therefore, any team that enters the Harden sweepstakes outside the Clippers could end up losing him after just one season, which is by no means a desirable outcome.
Finally, as Zach Lowe of ESPN has noted, expect the Sixers and Clippers to keep negotiating a trade for James Harden while they check to see who blinks first.
