James Harden Puts 76ers In A Hazardous Situation Because He Only Has Eyes For Clippers
James Harden Puts 76ers In A Hazardous Situation Because He Only Has Eyes For Clippers
James Harden is a great player and his association with Clippers seems to be ending. He even replaced his public image at twitter with Clipper and not has added any next team yet, he is eying 76ers.
Joel Embiid slunk into a chair at the Sixers’ practise facility in mid-December, two days before the NBA’s unofficial start of trade season, and told Yahoo Sports he thought Philadelphia fans wanted to move him.
The league’s most valuable player has consistently looked straight through the fourth wall of this television programme because he understands that a franchise represents much more than the kind of two-way excellence that can win the sport’s highest honours.
He is both a competitor and an entertainer. And with that, Embiid has always recognised that the main goal of this drama is to win the championship at least once, not merely to compete for it.
Sam Hinkie used the third overall pick in 2014 to select the injured Kansas giant. When you’re swinging for the fences, you make massive swings. But creating a mindset centred on success makes losses even more excruciating. It is for this reason that the probable demise of a contender is so exciting.
Therefore, when Embiid said to Uninterrupted CEO Maverick Carter last week in Los Angeles regarding achieving his goal of winning a championship: “I don’t know where that’s going to be, whether it’s in Philly or anywhere else,” there was a familiar ring of provocation to Embiid’s words.
There is intrinsic value in holding out the prospect of a future without you in it, regardless of how devoted any superstar is to his current team, especially homegrown superstars who were heralded as the organization’s adolescent saviours when they first arrived.
In the NBA, leverage may slant like a seesaw. This time, Embiid made his remarks as the future of his All-Star point guard, James Harden, remained uncertain following a trade request in late June after Harden exercised his $35.6 million player option the day before free agency began, intending to be traded to the Clippers, according to league sources.
Drawing a direct connection from Embiid’s vague response to the general unpredictability of Philadelphia is a straightforward exercise.
However, these processes are never really linear. Back in December, when pre-deadline phone calls began to ring throughout the league, Embiid slipped into Daryl Morey’s office and locked the door for a lengthy talk after saying he thought Sixers fans wanted him transferred.
The president of Philadelphia has declared it his right to collaborate with Embiid while serving as the Sixers’ manager. After being seen for the first time two years ago during a doubles match played in the off-season, they are still in close contact and continue to play tennis together.
Although it was previously part of the rallying cry for Harden and former head coach Doc Rivers, who was sacked from his post after the club blew a 3-2 series lead over Boston in the playoffs, it appears that their shared goal for a first championship has brought them closer than anything else.
The main background for Harden’s unanswered trade request, however, is that they both share the desire to win the championship. From Philadelphia’s standpoint, these are significantly bigger stakes than what Portland is up against with relocating Damian Lillard.
The Blazers’ marquee player has already started looking for a new place to call home, away from a group that hasn’t been in the playoff picture in years.
Before their franchise star actually considers playing elsewhere, Morey and the Sixers are negotiating the potential signing of another disgruntled All-Star point guard. They also think that Nick Nurse is the coach who can get this thing over the finish line.
Let’s be clear: Harden still plans to play for the Clippers in 2022–23, despite the Sixers’ intentions, league sources told media. Since the start of this subplot, Harden and his agent have focused on Los Angeles as his next stop and have kept their faith that he will eventually sign with the Clippers.
According to sources, there haven’t been any meaningful trade discussions between Philadelphia and any other team over Harden since rival front offices have been informed of Harden’s unshakeable devotion to the Clippers and the Clippers alone.
The 76ers have initiated discussions with other teams and have set a high asking price for the league’s leading assist provider.
The Clippers do make sense, which is to Harden’s credit. Los Angeles had been actively looking for improvements at the Clippers’ lead guard position both prior to the trade deadline in February and again during the early part of the offseason.
Malcolm Brodgon, a Celtics ball handler, was almost dealt by the team before the NBA Draught in June.
Harden’s camp also views the roster in Los Angeles, which features up-and-coming stars like Terance Mann and Norman Powell, as well as a variety of employable contracts and first-round draught picks to facilitate a trade.
One that might still meet Philadelphia’s demand that any Harden return preserves the Sixers’ best chance at a championship.
That scope has not been shared by Philadelphia. Furthermore, it appears that the Clippers are not interested in trading for Mann.
According to Morey, the Sixers are considering a much more straightforward return for Harden than what Los Angeles can put together.
“If we do look at a trade, it’s going to be for one of two things: a player who is going to help us be right there like we were last year, or we’re going to trade for picks that we can use to turn into a player who can be a running mate with Joel,” Morey said on Tuesday to Philadelphia’s 97.5 FM.
“We are not going to do it if we can’t get that.” Furthermore, the Sixers aren’t exactly pushing to finish the procedure.
Although we haven’t seen the original film, we have seen the prequel. Yes, Ben Simmons asked to leave Philadelphia just two summers ago, and after an offseason of fruitless trade rumours, Morey claimed during an appearance on 97.5 that the Simmons trade saga might take up the entire four years left on his contract.
Then, during a media day speech, Morey and Rivers said they would embrace Simmons’ return to Philadelphia with open arms.
As it turned out, news spread among league employees at this year’s Summer League in Las Vegas that the Sixers planned to mend fences with Harden and had always envisioned him returning to the team to contend for the 2023 championship.
Morey stated to 97.5 on Tuesday, “If James changes his mind, then we’d love to have him.”
There are some significant differences between the Harden issue and the Simmons fiasco. If Morey’s front management rejects Harden’s request to be transferred, Philadelphia would be able to resolve the situation much more quickly and with plenty of salary room because Harden just has one season left on his contract.
While Simmons stayed away from the squad as training camp got underway, claiming that he would never play for the club again, Harden’s strategy seems to depart from that.
Future Hall of Famer Harden has won an MVP and is ranked among the Top 75 players of all time. He is also skilled at acting in a way that can persuade a team to give in and finally let the talented guard go, having practised it during the closing months of Harden’s time in Houston and Brooklyn.
According to league sources, Harden is anticipated to report to training camp at this point if this saga continues through September and until Media Day on Oct. 2. By showing there rather of remaining home, you can give the company you’re attempting to quit even more trouble.
Harden frequently left the squad while playing for the Rockets and the Nets to partake in other nightlife pursuits. In order to avoid losing him for nothing, Brooklyn felt forced to trade him to the Sixers before the 2022 trade deadline. When it comes to Philadelphia, Harden’s camp is firmly of the opinion that he will join the Clippers at some point, not if.
This is also the season in which Embiid will turn 30 next March, the magic number that begins to introduce the concept of basketball mortality for any player as this July creeps into August and the doldrums of the NBA calendar.
Over the course of the last few regular seasons, Embiid has established his case for being the best player in the league through both his play and his advocacy.
He is starting the first of a four-year agreement with a player option in 2026–2027, and he is not showing any signs of slowing down. But at some point, the Sixers’ ranks will need to be more concerned about Harden’s position than they were about Simmons’ entire strike.
The fact that Embiid is openly flirting with the idea of going “anywhere else” suggests he is aware that the biological clock on winning a championship has already begun to run out. The role that Harden’s trade request ultimately plays in that equation might completely change the dynamic.
