Can Knicks Compete with 76ers' James Harden Proposal?

The New York Knicks are rumored to be in the mix for James Harden, but Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey said he won't listen to offers unless he receives "a very good player" in return.

The New York Knicks' trade discussions for All-Star players like Damian Lillard, Joel Embiid, and James Harden seemed to cool down but have reignited over the past few days thanks in part to comments from Embiid. The Philadelphia 76ers' MVP hinted that he could move elsewhere in pursuit of a title and he might not be the only one on the move.

Harden decided to accept his $35.6 million player option with Philadelphia, but all signs point to a trade away from the Sixers rather than a return. The Knicks were once listed as one of the favorites to get the future Hall-of-Famer.

Even though NBA insider Shams Charania said on Monday that the bond between Harden and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is "essentially severed," the latter joined "The Anthony Gargano Show" on 97.5 The Fanatic (WPEN) on Tuesday and hinted that the idea of trading Harden isn't inevitable. 

"If we don't get either a very good player or something we can turn into a very good player, we are not going to do it," Morey said.

If they're truly interested in getting involved in the Harden discussion, the question for the Knicks now becomes who would satisfy Morey's demands on the current roster. It's only logical that, if the 76ers were to give up their guard, they'd likely listen to offers for talented players with similar positions. For the Knicks, 6-6 small forward RJ Barrett might be the best ... if not only ... option.

Barrett, viewed by some as a franchise cornerstone, averaged 19.6 points last season. But his inconsistent shooting throughout the regular season was concerning, especially from the outside (dropping from 34 to 31 percent in one year).

It's unlikely the 76ers would take a gamble on the 23-year-old alone, but if the Knicks throw in several of their upcoming draft picks (saved up from not acquiring Donovan Mitchell last summer), along with a couple of other non-starters, Philadelphia may consider it.

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You can follow Hunter De Siver on Twitter @HunterDeSiver.

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You can follow Hunter De Siver on Twitter @HunterDeSiver.

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