James Harden Seeking Trade, Lakers Western Conference Rival Among Top Landing Spots

Free agency already starting off with a bang!

Get your popcorn ready folks... it looks like we have yet another classic NBA offseason on our hands already.

A day before NBA free agency kicked off, The Athletic's Shams Charania dropped what could be argued the biggest headline to that point as he revealed that superstar James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers has opted into his $35.6 million player option with the team for next season, but only so they could find a different franchise to trade him to.

JUST IN: James Harden is opting into his $35.6 million deal for next season – in order for the 10-time All-Star and the 76ers to work together on a trade out of Philadelphia, league sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2023

"JUST IN: James Harden is opting into his $35.6 million deal for next season – in order for the 10-time All-Star and the 76ers to work together on a trade out of Philadelphia, league sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium."

One of the favorites to land him has already been listed as the Lakers' Crypto.com Arena rival, the Los Angeles Clippers, as well as the New York Knicks.

The Clippers and Knicks are expected to be among the teams that'll engage with the Sixers on a potential James Harden trade, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/NQ5Y6xkvAx

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2023

"The Clippers and Knicks are expected to be among the teams that'll engage with the Sixers on a potential James Harden trade, sources tell ESPN."

Harden was able to average 21 points, ten assists and six rebounds in 58 games for Philly this year and was an amazing second option next to the 2023 MVP Joel Embiid. However, they collapsed once again in the second round of the playoffs once they ran into the Boston Celtics and head coach Doc Rivers was soon fired.

The Houston Rockets were originally heavily linked to Harden's name but that was a more realistic possibility if he actually hit free agency and they could offer up a good chunk of their cap space. The team instead opted to ink ex-Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet to a lucrative new deal. Now, it looks like the Clippers want to place Harden next to superstar forwards Kawhi Leonard and Paul George and run it back yet another year.

Through all of this, I think it's very important the Lakers remain poised and keep their priorities the same. Seeing these types of deals will make it tempting for them to make a blockbuster trade but that does not need to be the case.

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