NBA Rumors: 76ers are a Preferred Destination for James Harden

As Houston Rockets guard James Harden wants to be traded, the Philadelphia 76ers are reportedly a preferred destination for him.

Justin Grasso | Nov 16, 2020

Did you think Houston Rockets star James Harden only wanted to play for the Brooklyn Nets if traded? Well, think again. According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Philadelphia 76ers are also a top destination for Harden.

Just last week, Harden and his fellow All-Star teammate Russell Westbrook expressed concern regarding the future of the Rockets' organization. After the team failed to overcome the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the playoffs last year, the Rockets moved on from head coach Mike D'Antoni.

A month after D'Anotni's departure, Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey stepped down. Weeks later, Morey ended up joining the Sixers front office, becoming the team's President of Basketball Operations overseeing Elton Brand's operation.

As expected, the Harden-Sixers rumors fired up. A few weeks ago, Shams Charania reported that the Sixers are expected to be one of several teams reaching out to the Rockets for a potential James Harden trade.

At the time, Harden didn't request a trade, nor did the Rockets intend on shopping him around. Although the Rockets are still set on keeping Harden for the 2020-2021 NBA season, the superstar remains wary of the franchise's future.

On Sunday night, a report from ESPN surfaced about Harden's interest in joining the Brooklyn Nets. As Harden maintains a close relationship with his former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Kevin Durant, the two have discussed the idea of a potential reunion in Brooklyn for next season.

That doesn't mean the Sixers are out of the picture, though. With Daryl Morey running the show in the front office, a reunion between Harden and Morey shouldn't be ruled out. Although the Sixers trading for Harden seems more unlikely than not -- it's not an impossible move -- especially if the Rockets eventually welcome the idea of trading the Houston superstar.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_

Published Nov 16, 2020

JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA