Did Sixers, Clippers James Harden Trade Talks Stall?

Are the Sixers and the Clippers still discussing a James Harden trade?

James Harden’s offseason didn’t go as planned. After campaigning for a significant payday in the form of a multi-year contract after his season of sacrifice, which featured a notable pay cut in 2022-2023, Harden did not get the market demand he expected.

When the Philadelphia 76ers’ 2023 playoff run concluded, it seemed Harden was on pace to receive notable offers from the Houston Rockets and the Sixers. At first, there were talks about Harden potentially landing a contract offer in the max range from both organizations.

As time passed and the free agency market formed, the narrative switched. The Houston Rockets shifted their attention to former Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet. The Phoenix Suns, who were initially viewed as sleepers to land Harden, went out and traded for Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal.

The Sixers, who had all the leverage in negotiations with Harden, didn’t seem to feel a max contract was necessary. Disappointed with the outcome, Harden decided to accept his player option for the 2023-2024 season and follow the move with a trade request.

Philadelphia seemed willing to grant Harden his wishes, but not without receiving proper compensation. The Los Angeles Clippers and the New York Knicks popped up on the radar as potential suitors for Harden’s services, with the former organization being the favorites to land him.

But at this point, the trade talks surrounding Harden, Philly, and Los Angeles have cooled down. 

Speaking with Dan Patrick on the Dan Patrick Show, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin recently offered some intel on the situation. Noting that after speaking with “a bunch of folks” over the weekend, McMenamin hints that a return to the Sixers is certainly not out of the question for Harden. In fact, that might be the likely scenario at this time.

“The signal right now is that he will be back with the Philadelphia 76ers,” he said. “As of right now, with no momentum appearing on a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, and Philadelphia still needing what he does without finding a replacement for him, it looks like there’s a pathway for him to come back to the Sixers next year.”

The Sixers' front office has proven they are willing to hold out from trading a player as long as it takes until they receive an ideal offer. There won’t be any exceptions for Harden. 

And since the player wants the trade more than the organization at this point, the Sixers would certainly welcome Harden back to the roster with open arms since retaining him was their top priority of the offseason anyway.

Perhaps, the situation can be patched up for next season. Since Harden has another close friend in the building with the acquisition of Patrick Beverley and still maintains relationships with players such as PJ Tucker, Danuel House, Montrezl Harrell, and Joel Embiid, Harden doesn’t seem as disgruntled as he was before free agency played out.