• Bill Simmons believes only the Washington Wizards would trade for James Harden
• Simmons’ believes no team will give up value for Harden, leaving only one team with a bad transaction history willing to do it
• Harden requested a trade away from the Philadelphia 76ers in the first week of July
James Harden went from being the MVP of the league to a player that no team wants to trade any value for in the blink of an eye. His recent history of sabotaging the franchises he plays for has led to no team offering any real value to the 76ers, which prompted the team to announce they have ended trade talks for him.
Bill Simmons evaluated the current landscape of the trade market and concluded that only the Washington Wizards could take a risk on someone like Harden.
“Here’s the funny thing — there IS no Harden trade. Chicago isn’t trading Derozan for him. Clips aren’t giving anything up for him. Younger teams don’t want him. Contenders can’t risk it. That leaves only one candidate… an embattled franchise w/ a history of foolish risks…”
Here’s the funny thing — there IS no Harden trade.
Chicago isn’t trading Derozan for him.
Clips aren’t giving anything up for him.
Younger teams don’t want him.
Contenders can’t risk it.
That leaves only one candidate… an embattled franchise w/ a history of foolish risks… pic.twitter.com/WEwD1OJyWO
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) August 14, 2023
Poor team-switching decisions have caught up to Harden, who turned down extensions with the Rockets and Nets just to be put in his current situation.
Daryl Morey made him take a pay cut last summer and didn’t extend him this summer. That’s why Harden called Morey a liar in what has become the most entertaining trade saga in recent memory.
James Harden Still Has Value
Even though it seems risky for any team to take a chance on a 33-year-old aging guard who has nuked the last three teams he played for, Harden can provide something on-court. Unfortunately for him, it’s not at the level he could produce before, meaning no team will want to offer him a max contract.
He averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game last season and led the league in assists. Despite that, Harden’s on-court decline means no team will want to pay him max contract money. Unless he can re-adjust his superstar expectations, there is no situation that’ll make him happy.
The Wizards already have Jordan Poole to pay over the long term and another talented point guard prospect in Tyus Jones. They don’t need Harden right now, especially as they look to tank after trading Bradley Beal away. There’s no fit for Harden that would match the 76ers’ high asking price for Harden.
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