James Harden reportedly submitted a trade request to the Philadelphia 76ers ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season. This is obviously a huge threat to their championship aspirations, which is why the team has reportedly been trying to change his mind.
Patrick Beverley and Joel Embiid have publicly asked The Beard to stay, letting him know how much they care about him and how important he is for the team. Needless to say, Daryl Morey also wants Harden to reconsider.
The Sixers general manager knows him from their days together in Houston and pushed hard to get Harden from Brooklyn last year. However, it looks like the 33-year-old has already made a decision.
Rumor: James Harden still wants to be traded
Though he couldn’t find a new home yet, The Beard seems to have made up his mind. According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, James Harden reiterated his desire to be traded this offseason despite the team’s efforts to keep him.
“I don’t think they’re close on anything,” Shelburne said on NBA Today, via Sixers Wire. “Though James Harden has spoken to Daryl Morey since the first trade request and I think there was some cooling off period and gone. ‘OK, let’s let this lie and see how things play out’ and they spoke again and he’s still reiterated that he wants to be traded now. This isn’t a demand. It’s a request and I think the Sixers have said ‘OK, we will try to trade you but there is no hurry to do this’ and I think the Sixers understand that they have the leverage here. I mean, James has picked up his option. This is a opt in to a contract, and he’s going to be a free agent after this season. So at some point, he needs to play whether that’s in Philadelphia or elsewhere. Plus, there is a sense that if they can give it some time and as he’s cool with his teammates. He’s been talking to Joel Embiid. He’s been talking to Patrick Beverley, PJ Tucker that eventually maybe those fences can be mended and there is a path to reconciliation with James Harden, but for now, he has reiterated his trade request.“
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NBA News: Sixers teammates want James Harden to reconsider trade request
Harden requesting a trade is not something new, since he already did the same in Houston and Brooklyn in the past. The Los Angeles Clippers have been mentioned as a potential landing spot, but there has been no progress so far.
