- James Harden could have received a max contract from the Houston Rockets
- The Rockets then were turned off by Harden’s desire to win a scoring title
- Harden wants a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers
Guard James Harden is one of the best facilitators in the league right now, and there is no doubt that he is a solid No. 2 option on a top-tier team. As of right now, Harden has asked for a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers, as the team did not offer him the max contract he desired this summer.
It was recently reported by Stephen A. Smith that James Harden actually could have gotten a max contract from the Houston Rockets this summer. However, the star ended up ruining his own chances of getting it, as he told coach Ime Udoka that he wanted to win the scoring title. That was incongruent with the team’s current goals, and thus the offer was rescinded.
“I got tipped off last week… the Houston Rockets were talking to James Harden… James Harden, he actually talked himself out of a max deal. Because he went in there talking about how he wanted to return and be that scoring champion. Ime Udoka and them were like, ‘Nah… We’re building something a little bit different’… He talked himself out of his own max deal.”
Stephen A. Smith reports that Houston had initially been willing to offer James Harden a max contract this offseason.
However, after Harden expressed to Ime Udoka his ambition to win a scoring title, the max contract offer was rescinded 😬
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 4, 2023
There is no doubt that this is a wild revelation from Stephen A. Smith. There is no doubt that James Harden was linked to the Houston Rockets ahead of free agency. It is easy to see why the Rockets passed on Harden if this was his mindset, as they likely envisioned him being more of a facilitator next to the gifted scorers they already have on their roster.
This past season, James Harden averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game for the Philadelphia 76ers. He can still be a solid contributor on a winning team, but only if he buys into being the No. 2 or No. 3 scoring option.
James Harden Wants A Trade To The Clippers
The consistent messaging on James Harden’s end has been that he wants to join the Los Angeles Clippers. In fact, it was recently reported that Harden still wants a trade to the Clippers despite the team losing interest due to the cost it would take to acquire the star guard.
James Harden could definitely be a good fit for the Los Angeles Clippers as a No. 3 option behind Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. However, it makes sense that the team isn’t desperate to get him. They already have a solid starting-quality point guard in Russell Westbrook. There’s no need to expend insane assets to get James Harden, and it makes a lot more sense to wait for the best deal.
Playing Out The Season With The Philadelphia 76ers Could Be A Good Option For James Harden
If James Harden wants a max contract, then perhaps the best thing for him to do would be to play out the season with the Philadelphia 76ers. Having a good season on a competitive team and then becoming a free agent in 2024 for one last payday is an appealing proposition.
Of course, the issue with James Harden staying on the Philadelphia 76ers is his beef with GM Daryl Morey. But if the two could put aside their differences and focus on winning, then Harden staying makes a lot of sense.
It will be interesting to see where James Harden will end up in the future. A number of teams could benefit from adding him, but it is clear that no one wants to give up premier assets for an aging star.
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