76ers GM Daryl Morey is doing everything he can to get James Harden on his team. As the NBA’s trade deadline nears, Morey is facing some increased pressure to deal Ben Simmons and find a suitable partner for Joel Embiid, who is having an MVP season.
A shooter and playmaker like James Harden is exactly the type of guy who would thrive with the star big man and it’s a scenario that has gained some significant traction in recent days.
Unfortunately for Morey, the Nets do not seem keen on considering such a swap. According to what a source told Jordan Schultz, Brooklyn’s front office isn’t listening to any offers from Morey that involve Harden.
“James [Harden] isn’t going to Philly; I’ll tell you that with absolute certainty,” says a #Nets’ source. “They called and we didn’t listen. We want to win a championship and trading James does nothing but hurt that goal.”
“James [Harden] isn’t going to Philly; I’ll tell you that with absolute certainty,” says a #Nets’ source. “They called and we didn’t listen. We want to win a championship and trading James does nothing but hurt that goal.”
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 8, 2022
Recently, Harden’s loyalty to the Nets has been doubted. Between the team’s struggles and all the drama that is unfolding behind the scenes, some reports have claimed he is unhappy with the situation.
“While Harden has thrown hints that he’s not crazy about Irving’s part-time status, a source with knowledge of Harden’s thinking said he’s frustrated in general with his Nets tenure (per The Athletic). He came to Brooklyn expecting to be part of a three-headed monster, yet has played a similar role to what was required of him in Houston; having to be the guy. While Irving’s part-time status is unprecedented, a source aware of the team’s thinking said the 6-foot-2 point guard’s situation hasn’t been as much of a problem as one would expect because he’s played hard when available, albeit in a limited capacity.”
Losers of 8 straight, Brooklyn has fallen to 7th in the East with a 29-24 record overall. Kyrie Irving, who still has not taken the vaccine, will miss over 15 more games for the team and will only be available for half of the team’s playoff games.
Kevin Durant, meanwhile, continues to be in and out with injuries and his durability is becoming a big concern within the Nets community.
Harden is trapped in the middle of it all, and he has more than enough reasons to be frustrated. Those frustrations leading to a partnership with Embiid, however, remain slim.
