The Los Angeles Clippers are pausing James Harden trade talks as the season gets underway. There was never much traction between the two sides, with the Philadelphia 76ers demanding either another star or assets to later trade for another star. The Clippers offered one first-round pick, one pick swap, and expiring contracts, but refused to include veteran wing Terance Mann.
Morey reportedly called the Clippers "unserious" for not parting with Mann or any quality rotation pieces. It's hard to blame the Sixers' prez here. Harden's value is in the gutter, but he's a perennial All-Star who averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists on 64.7 TS% last season. Mann, who turned 27 a week ago, averaged 8.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.5 assist on 61.1 TS%. He is a solid rotation wing in his prime, not a priceless prospect.
Until the Clippers decide to give up legitimate assets for Harden, trade talks will remain stalled. Morey doesn't give in easily and the Sixers appear content to let Harden play into the season.
76ers' James Harden outlook
It's only a matter of time until Harden gets moved. The 2017-18 MVP has sworn to never play for Morey ever again, the Sixers are keen to to keep the Joel Embiid era alive. Harden's contract expires at season's end and Philadelphia cannot afford to lose him for nothing. A big 2024 free agent period is nice in concept, but the Sixers cannot bank on multiple high-level free agents seeking out Philadelphia next summer. Cap space is helpful, but it doesn't win games.
As the Clippers momentarily step out of the ring, Philadelphia will hope that Harden improves his trade value with a strong start to the season. He is tentatively expected to play in Philadelphia's home opener on Sunday, or at least soon.
If not LA, these teams are strong candidates to sneak into the Harden sweepstakes as the year progresses.
3. Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are stuck in purgatory. James Harden probably doesn't get them out, but he's at least something different. Daryl Morey would have to embrace the idea of Zach LaVine or DeMar DeRozan (probably LaVine) and Chicago would have to spice up the offer elsewhere, but there's a path here.
Chicago has proven its desire to contend at all costs, despite an ill-fitted roster with very little hope of exceeding the play-in tournament. Harden absolutely raises the short-term ceiling and he would sell tickets. The Bulls have a lot of guards, but none so talented as a distributor. Harden draws constant defensive attention in the middle of the floor and he actively empowers teammates with his passing.
The Bulls could even try to keep LaVine and DeRozan next to Harden, instead packaging Alex Caruso, salary filler, and picks for Harden. That would tank the defense, but it would undoubtedly boost the offense to compelling heights. Billy Donovan gets a lot of defensive mileage out of mismatched groups and the Bulls have a clear mandate to win. Rather than risk their jobs with a rebuild, maybe the front office makes a last-ditch effort on the Harden front.
Make no mistake about it: the Bulls should not trade for James Harden. It's time to bite the bullet on a rebuild. But, in a world where the Bulls are eager to stave off the inevitable, Harden presents an easy upgrade on the perimeter who would at least, for a moment, draw eyeballs back to Chicago.
2. New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans can hear the clock tick, tick, ticking on the Zion Williamson era. Injuries have decimated the former No. 1 pick's career and off-court noise has tainted his tenure in NOLA. But, when he's right, Williamson remains an absolute force of nature. The Pelicans are a healthy season away from contention.
Spend another year short of expectations, however, and the front office will face a harsh reality — and maybe even job insecurity. The Pelicans have a balanced roster with stars, up-and-coming young talent, and spunky role players. Trey Murphy is a widely proclaimed breakout candidate. Brandon Ingram is a legitimate All-Star. CJ McCollum, despite his many flaws, is a gifted combo guard perfectly built for the Pelicans' current group.
There isn't that much missing, to be honest, but David Griffin and the front office could desire a big swing as pressure mounts. New Orleans has the biggest cache of draft capital in the NBA outside of Oklahoma City. There are also several valuable role players and contract fillers to lob into a potential Harden trade. That Pelicans would probably build a package around McCollum, which could satiate the Sixers' desire to contend in the immediate future while also receiving draft picks to facilitate future trades.
Harden and Zion would need time to work out the fit. Zion has made his money on the ball for New Orleans, initiating the offense with his rim pressure and emerging as a genuine playmaker for others, as well as himself. He would spend more time in pick-and-roll actions with Harden, while Harden would also have to make sacrifices. Harden's willingness to space the floor and attempt spot-up 3s off Joel Embiid should assuage concerns for New Orleans' coaching staff.
Harden remains an absolutely elite offensive player. The pressure he and Zion would place on a defense — with Ingram connecting dots, Murphy bombing 3s, and Herb Jones wreaking havoc on the other end — might launch the Pelicans into the upper tier of the West. At the very least, it's an interesting concept.
1. Golden State Warriors
There is a strong chance the Golden State Warriors cite philosophical differences and excuse themselves from the mere thought of acquiring Harden. But... let's put the pieces together here. Golden State has Chris Paul on an expiring contract. The team doesn't want to pay Klay Thompson the full max, clearly, and he's due to hit free agency in 2024.
At this point, Harden is a "better" expiring contract guard than Chris Paul. The Warriors' movement-heavy system is almost antithetical to Harden's career, but Harden is a playmaking wizard. He can still pressure the rim and draw double teams on every drive. Factor in defenses' natural preoccupation with Curry and Thompson on the perimeter, and it's not difficult to imagine Harden settling into a productive niche for Golden State.
Let Harden run high pick-and-rolls while Curry rips defenses apart with movement on the side. Let Curry set screens for Harden. Let Klay set screens for Harden. Let Harden float off the ball while Curry pokes around the paint. Defenses will start to overthink and collapse on every pass, every move to the rim, every off-ball cut. Harden would have to buy in — and the Warriors would have to take a serious leap of faith — but it's a compelling hypothetical.
The free agency factor is key. Is Harden going to get more or less than Thompson next summer? Would the Warriors rather pay Harden, who offers a more diverse skill set than Thompson, or is the preference to bet on Thompson's elite mastery of a single skill? Or, perhaps more meaningfully, would the Warriors be willing to pay both?
Money could be what keeps Golden State away. It's clear the CP3 trade was made with a desire to get that money off the books as soon as possible. On the other hand, Golden State can easily top the Clippers' offer without completely busting up the future. If the front office still believes in the current core, but doesn't believe the roster as currently built can reach the mountaintop... maybe Harden makes his way to the west coast.