Which Team Makes the Most Sense for James Harden?

James Harden reportedly has four teams on his preferred trade destination list. Which one is the best fit?

The James Harden trade saga continues as The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the eight-time All-Star has listed Milwaukee and Miami as two of his preferred trade destinations along with Brooklyn and Philadelphia. Last month it was reported that Harden was intrigued by the possibility of reuniting with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn, but there have been no substantive discussions between the Nets and Rockets about a trade.

The Crossover staff picked which team might be the fit for Harden’s services.

Michael Shapiro

Miami is the most intriguing on-court fit as we assess the contenders for James Harden. The three-time scoring champion has never played alongside a playmaking big quite like Bam Adebayo, and Jimmy Butler could be an ideal fit next to Harden on the wing. Erik Spoelstra already worked wonders with a hyper-talented Big 3 in the last decade. He can do the same with Harden in the fold. Regardless, this whole conversation regarding Harden’s fit in a given location is a bit silly. He’s perhaps the greatest scorer of the 21st century, and his offensive talents complement any system or co-star. Harden is a guaranteed playoff berth, and it’s not as though the talented Harden teams of the past were non-contenders. The Heat, Nets and maybe even Sixers are the Eastern Conference favorite if they can find a way to acquire The Beard.

Jarrel Harris

Out of the four teams mentioned, I believe the Sixers would make the most sense. Harden and Embiid is a better fit than Embiid and Simmons. I am sure the Rockets would prefer a package centered on Simmons rather than the other packages the Nets, Heat and Bucks could offer. I just can’t see the deal actually happening because of Daryl Morey’s presence in Philadelphia. I also believe the 76ers truly want to give Embiid and Simmons one more year together before evaluating their future with the team.

Ben Pickman

Despite reports on Thursday that James Harden was open to being dealt to the Bucks and Heat, the Nets and Sixers would still provide better fits for the seemingly disgruntled Rockets star. Harden would appear to have a long-standing beef with Bucks MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and after an offseason that saw Milwaukee trade away three first-round picks and two pick swaps in exchange for Jrue Holiday, it’s unclear what assets Milwaukee could pony up if they even wanted Harden. While Miami has the assets to acquire Harden—a deal involving Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson could be a starting point—the Rockets star doesn’t exactly fit with the style of basketball the Heat play, plus it’s fair to wonder if Harden and Jimmy Butler could coexist. Philadelphia still has the best possible player that could be moved in All-NBA guard Ben Simmons, but Brooklyn still may be the most realistic destination, both because of its combination of players and picks, and also because of his relationship with Nets star Kevin Durant.

Robin Lundberg

The best fit for James Harden is probably Milwaukee, honestly. The idea of Harden playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo is tantalizing, as those two guys each bring what the other is lacking. Harden would provide the shot creation Giannis doesn't, while Giannis would cover for nearly everything else on the floor. There's only one problem: I just don't see a Bucks-Rockets trade as a realistic possibility.