James Harden doesn’t want drama. He just wants out of an irreparable situation.
The Sixers point guard is “ramping up” to be available to play in the Oct. 20 preseason finale against the Hawks. But skeptics wonder if Harden is only doing this because he expects to be traded
The Sixers have had discussions with the Los Angeles Clippers centered around James Harden.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
WILMINGTON — One can only hope the James Harden saga gets resolved quickly.
The point guard is either going to come back and play for the 76ers or hurry up and get moved to another NBA team.
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He is practicing with the Sixers and performing his normal post-practice shooting routine. He’s “ramping up” with the hope of being available to play in the Oct. 20 preseason finale against the Hawks at the Wells Fargo Center. But skeptics wonder if Harden is only doing this because he expects to be traded.
So what’s going to happen if the Clippers, who are interested, backs out of negotiations? What will Harden do then? Will he become a distraction and make things uncomfortable for the Sixers?
Those are important questions to ponder.
But what we do know is it will be tough for Harden to fully commit to the Sixers after his statements about Daryl Morey, the team’s president of basketball operations.
In August, Harden said, “Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of.”
And Harden didn’t exactly change his stance Friday, his first time speaking to the media this preseason.
Asked if the relationship could be repaired, he emphatically replied, “No!”
Why?
“It’s not even about this situation, this is in life,” Harden said. “When you lose trust in someone, it’s like a marriage. When you lose trust in someone … it’s pretty simple.”
Despite that, he’s fitting in well right now with his teammates and Sixers coaching staff. It’s not hard get be on your best behavior when you expect to be traded shortly.
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.
But the plan to add draft-pick swaps in a package for Harden hasn’t moved the needle for the Sixers. They’ve said they’re interested in a package that includes Clippers guard Terance Mann and first-round picks. But the source said Morey knows Mann is untouchable.
The Sixers are looking for an All-Star player or assets to acquire for Harden. That’s why draft-pick swaps may not be good enough. And word is that the Sixers don’t expect the picks from the Clippers, who need to stay relevant in a big market, to be that valuable, especially with them being a perennial playoff team.
But for now, Harden’s has been far from the distraction he was expected to become this preseason.
“He’s been really good at practice,” new coach Nick Nurse said. “I know he’s working extremely hard almost every night. I know the workouts at night are really intense, as well.
The future Hall of Famer has been known to dominate ball. But Harden can adapt like he did while playing alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant with the Nets. And being more of a facilitator last season, he led the league with 10.7 assists per game.
“I think it’s more spacing, more opportunities for everyone and just unpredictable,” he said. “He can change things up on the fly, and if things in one, five, six, seven possessions aren’t going right, or in one quarter, he can change it and make adjustments.
“Which is very difficult to do. But he’s very, very good at that.”
While all that sounds good, Harden’s relationship with Morey is beyond repair.
He says he intends to play this season.
“Like I said, I can control what I can control,” Harden said. “I take it one day at a time, and focus on every day is a new day. My plan is to play basketball, yes, for sure.”
But will his plan change if the Sixers can’t work out a deal?
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. Before the game Joel Embiid (left) and Coach Nick Nurse share a laugh.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. Sixers Coach Nick Nurse addresses the crowd before the game.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. James Harden shoots before the scrimmage. He did not play in the scrimmage though.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. James Harden uses some body language to try to coax in a jump shot. Harden took park in warmups but not the scrimmage.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. James Harden reacts after missing a jump shot. Harden took park in warmups but not the scrimmage.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. Tyrese Maxey (top) enjoys James Harden doing some push-ups after Harden lost a shooting competition during warmups. Harden took part in warmups but not the scrimmage.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in WIlmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. James Harden (center) and teammates look on during a shooting competition. Assistant Coach Rico Hines is right.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. Patrick Beverley (right) coached instead of playing. He shows Kelley Oubre, Jr. a play he drew up.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. Tobias Harris (right) mocks the body language of Patrick Beverley. The two coached opposing teams in the scrimmage rather than playing.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. Terquavion Smith goes up for a basket.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. Jaden Springer (center) drives between Terquavion Smith (left) and Paul Reed.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. Ricky Council IV (left) scores gainst De'Anthony Melton.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. Joel Embiid (left) and Patrick Beverley coached the one team rather than playing. The question an official's call.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. Following the game, Tyrese Maxey (left) and P.J. Tucker (center) give Patrick Beverley (right) a hard time after the white team he coached lost the scrimmage.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. Following the game a young fan leaps into the air after being handed an autographed basketball by Patrick Beverley.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. Following the game Joel Embiid gets ready to throw autographed basketballs into the crowd.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. Following the game Joel Embiid throws an autographed basketball into the crowd.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in WIlmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. Following the game Patrick Beverley signs autographs.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. A woman reacts after getting Tobias Harris of the Sixers to autograph her sign.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White Scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware on Oct. 14, 2023. Young fans jockey to get autographs of players. Paul Reed signs in the background.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
As the Sixers beat reporter, I provide daily coverage, perspective, a social media presence and long-form takeout pieces about one of the NBA's young emerging teams.