NBA transfer: James Harden is angry because he can't trade, decides not to play for the 76ers?
No longer intending to trade the All-Star and All-NBA defender to another team, the 76ers expect Harden to show professionalism and compete in the 2023-24 season under the signed contract. However, this may not be the case.
Journalist Sam Amick added on The Athletic that this is a familiar scenario for James Harden and it is likely to repeat itself in the near future.
Back in late 2020 when Harden wanted to leave the Houston Rockets, he did all he could to put pressure on the team's leadership. This includes not practicing, not competing and breaking many rules in the general operation of the team.
This time, James Harden and his agent still believe that the Philadelphia 76ers can find a way to create an exchange. However, the negotiation process has not yielded any results for the past 6 weeks.
The price 76ers offered was too high while the LA Clippers were not willing to sacrifice many resources just for the last 1 year of James Harden's contract.
James Harden arrived at the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for the Brooklyn Nets midway through the 2021-22 season, with hopes of moving closer to the NBA championship trophy.
But in both Playoffs playing for the Sixers, James and his teammates both stopped in the regional semi-finals. Even if Harden accepted a pay cut so the team could sign more quality satellite players, the result remained unchanged.
While James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers leadership enter the "playing mind" phase, many Philly players expect Harden to rethink and play next season.
Leading the effort to convince the "beard god" is Joel Embiid, the All-Star bigman has just won his first MVP title in his career: "I really hope he will think again".
“Definitely I want to play with him here to continue conquering the championship goal. I and my teammates hope James will change his mind, fully understanding that this is entirely his thought and decision," Embiid added.
Ultimately, this will still be a personal decision of James Harden and his choice of destination in the future. His current contract will expire at the end of the 2023-24 season, making him a free agent at NBA Free Agency 2024.
