Why Teams Are Hesitant to Talk James Harden Trades With 76ers

James Harden's available for a trade, but the 76ers haven't gone very far in talks.

When James Harden opted to pick up his player option for the 2023-2024 NBA season, he still didn’t intend to play with the Philadelphia 76ers. 

After a rumor-filled season, which hinted that Harden could reunite with his former franchise out in Houston, the Rockets turned their attention to younger guards on the market, such as Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet.

Hopeful of getting a notable multi-year offer with the Sixers, Harden was disappointed to find out that the Sixers weren’t going to meet his desired price. Expecting a lack of demand on the open market, Harden opted to take on his $35 million salary for the next season and requested a change of teams.

The Los Angeles Clippers are rumored to have an interest in Harden. And Harden reportedly hopes to suit up for the Clippers at the start of next season. Unfortunately for those interested in seeing Harden don a Clippers uniform, talks haven’t gone very far at this point.

What’s the holdup? According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Sixers have placed a high cost on Harden, which has caused teams to have a lack of interest in negotiating with Philly’s front office.

“It feels a lot like what Daryl Morey was doing with Ben Simmons a couple of years ago,” Wojnarowski said. “His asking price is exorbitant. Teams are not engaging the Sixers with the kind of asks that Daryl Morey is asking for James Harden, and so that’s where Daryl Morey always starts in trade talks… Really high.”

While the price for Harden is too high to have teams interested at the moment, the NBA Insider speculates that over time, the situation will change, whether it’s the Sixers lowering their asking price or Harden having a change of heart and playing for the team next season.

Either way, the situation is shaping up to be a long and drawn-out process, similar to the Sixers’ situation with the three-time All-Star Ben Simmons two summers ago. 

“They may get to training camp, and it may look different to Philly,” Wojnarowski finished. “They may have a James Harden who’s not as enthusiastic about his return as they are, and then maybe they get more serious about it, but right now, I think the Harden talks are going to linger into the summer.”

Harden’s intentions place the Sixers in a tough position. As they remain unsure of his availability with the team for next season, they can’t complete their roster-building with Harden in mind. And with a potential package of newcomers joining the team in a future Harden trade, it’s also unclear which positions the Sixers will fill later on down the line.

Ideally, the Sixers move on from Harden sooner than later, avoiding any drama-filled starts to the year, mirroring the Simmons saga. Unfortunately, with low demand and little leverage in trade talks at the moment, the Sixers aren’t willing to take less with training camp still months away.