James Harden, who is a 10x All-Star, has made it pretty clear that he’d rather suit up for the Clippers this season than play another game for the Philadelphia 76ers. Even so, making a trade happen is much easier said than done at this point in the season. In fact, according to NBA insider Keith Pompey, there is a major holdup in the active talks between Philly and LA: Daryl Morey. Apparently, the 76ers GM is still not satisfied with how the situation is playing out.
“The Clippers want to get a deal done soon. They’re offering a first-round pick, a draft-pick swap, and expiring contracts for the 2018 MVP and three-time scoring champion. And a source said Los Angeles doesn’t want to raise their offer. As the only team bidding for him, the source said the Clippers don’t feel a need to do so. The source said Morey is the one holding up the deal.”
Harden only included one team on his list of preferred destinations, so the 76ers had limited leverage to work with from the very beginning. While nobody is sure where negotiations are currently at between the two sides, something will have to give if they want to make this happen.
Harden Is Desperate For A Trade
With just a few weeks to go before the start of a new season, James Harden is doing everything he can to turn up the pressure and join the Clippers roster before it’s too late. Not long after outing Daryl Morey as a lair, Harden threatened to make the situation “toxic” in Philly and fans now fear that he could pull something similar to his breakup with the Rockets, where he partied during game nights and tried his best to be the biggest distraction possible.
This time, with only one year left on his deal, James could opt to play through this season to hit free agency in 2024. For now, however, his heart is with the Clippers and we can expect him to use every opportunity he has to land with Kawhi and Paul George as soon as possible. For Harden, it would be his fourth team in just five years and very likely his last chance to win a ring before it’s all said and done.
The Clippers Are Top Title Contenders This Season
Whether Harden joins them or not, the Clippers are poised to be highly competitive this upcoming season. After playing in just 52 games during 2022-23, Kawhi Leonard is expected to return to full form for the new season. Over three active seasons with the Clippers, Kawhi has been their leader on the court with averages of 25.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game on 49% shooting.
There’s also Paul George, who is looking to pick up where he left off as a 2023 NBA All-Star. George has embraced his role as the sidekick in LA, and if he can stay consistent throughout the season, he may be able to reach new heights playing with Leonard and under the revered head coach, Tyronn Lue.
Needless to say, a lot of factors are at play for the Clips, but after watching the competition get stronger this past summer, there is a sense that they need to make a move of their own if they want to keep up. Grabbing Harden, even with his flaws, will ensure they can hold their own against the best of the best.
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