James Harden’s future continues to be in the doldrums as he continues to hold out on the Houston Rockets. First-year head coach Stephen Silas is powerless on what the future holds but remains confident that the 2018 NBA MVP will eventually show up.
Harden continues to party in Las Vegas despite promising he would return to Houston. His continued absence has spurred speculations that his trade demands are for real. But the question now is which team will pick him up?
The Brooklyn Nets were mentioned but it appears all that is now moot. No less than Kevin Durant said that reports claiming he talked to his former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate about possibly joining the Nets are made up.
Reporting w/ @ESPN_MacMahon: James Harden has recently indicated to Houston he'd be open to a trade to Philadelphia or other contenders. So far, no substantive talks with Sixers. Daryl Morey's been adamant he wants to keep his two young stars. https://t.co/9ZFKB8MSGx — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 8, 2020
Another team that reportedly explored options with Harden was the Golden State Warriors. The Dubs could use someone like Harden in the mix but questions were raised on chemistry. Like the Nets, nothing progressed with those talks and the Warriors have moved forward.
Golden State is looking for a long-term investment and Harden is not considered a fit to that need, NBC Sports reported. He could have taken up the void left by Durant but such was seen as a short-term fix. Further, the eight-time All-Star’s fit into the Warriors culture is up for debate. Though explosive, he could have added more problems than answers for head coach Steve Kerr.
With two teams down, one other team could make sense. The Philadelphia 76ers have also expressed interest in Harden in the past. However, a soured relationship between Rockets owner Tillman Fertita and the new President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey stood in the way.
However, ESPN sources claim that Harden is open to moving to Philly or other contenders next season. As of this writing, nothing has progressed or gained traction.
Harden’s contract is another matter that prospective teams need to consider. He is set to make roughly $132.8 million in the next three seasons. However, he holds a player option in 2022. With those numbers, only an NBA star earning close to that can consummate a trade.
For the 76ers, the plausible target is Ben Simmons. The former top pick is entering the first year of a five-year $169.5 million deal. But Morey went on record to say that he prefers to keep Simmons and Joel Embiid, making things a bit complicated.
Also, the Rockets won’t let Harden off so easily. Since they are rebuilding, they want young players and future assets included in a deal for the “Bearded One.” Unless a team would give in to that demand, Harden could end up staying in Houston for the 2020-21 season at the least. However, he is expected to be meted penalties for his continued partying and holdout.
