James Harden remaining with the Philadelphia 76ers is the current signal NBA reporter Dave McMenamin is hearing from Summer League in Las Vegas.
Harden opted into his 2023-24 player option with the Sixers and wants to get traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. However, no trade has taken place yet.
“I was speaking to a bunch of folks about [Harden] Sunday evening,” McMenamin said on the Dan Patrick Show. “The signals right now is that he will be back with the Philadelphia 76ers.”
Harden requested a trade from the Houston Rockets before the 2020-21 season started. The Rockets didn’t trade the 2017-18 MVP until January 2021. Harden also requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets and was dealt to the Sixers in February 2022.
The 33-year-old Harden averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 10.7 assists last season while shooting 44.1% from the field, 38.5% from beyond the arc and 86.7% from the free-throw line. He led the NBA in assists per game for the second time in his career.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: James Harden & Philadelphia 76ers Updates
The Sixers lost to the Boston Celtics in the 2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals in seven games and Harden didn’t play well in Game 6 or Game 7. Doc Rivers was fired as head coach after the season and replaced by Nick Nurse, who won the 2019 championship with the Toronto Raptors.
Nurse and Harden met in Houston in June and the meeting went well. However, money has gotten in the way between Harden and the Sixers. Harden wants a max contract and Philadelphia doesn’t want to give “The Beard” one.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: James Harden & Philadelphia 76ers Updates
Harden is extremely upset at the way in which Philly handled his possible free agency and has made his dissatisfaction clear to the franchise. There was strong optimism on Harden’s side that he would be traded to the Clippers since both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are said to be on board with the idea of Harden potentially joining them in Los Angeles. It’s unknown what changed.
Harden intends to “never wear” a Sixers uniform again, sources told NBA Analysis Network, so this situation will be fascinating to watch play out.
Want the latest NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
