It looks like James Harden has played his final game for the Philadelphia 76ers.
On Thursday, it was announced that he had picked up his player option for next season and that the Sixers were going to explore trade opportunities for him.
They had acquired Harden in 2022 in the deal that sent the disgruntled Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets, and it has been a fruitless partnership, as Philly has lost in the second round of the playoffs both seasons with the former 2018 NBA MVP.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks will be just two of the teams that will be in the running for Harden.
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 have been considered a championship contender over the last few seasons, but injuries and holes in their roster have prevented them from reaching the NBA Finals.
They have lacked a legitimate point guard and floor general, and Harden could fill that vacancy for them.
Although he is a natural shooting guard, he has reinvented himself recently as a point guard, and he led the league in assists per game this season.
The Knicks, meanwhile, unexpectedly became a good team this season that got to the second round of the playoffs, and now the challenge is for them to take the next step and become a legitimate title contender.
They have a star point guard in Jalen Brunson, and acquiring Harden could allow him to play more of his natural off-guard role, at least for long stretches of games.
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