James Harden had no choice but to opt in on the final year of his contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.
He wanted to pursue a new destination but found out that the market for his services wasn’t as big as it used to be.
Likewise, not many teams are interested or able to absorb his big contract, and it’s not like the Sixers were trying to get rid of him, either.
According to a report by Sam Amick of The Athletic, Daryl Morey is more than willing to let Harden stay mad at him if that keeps him in the City of Brotherly Love:
“Yet despite all that relevant history, and in spite of the fact that Morey may know Harden, and all of his complexities, better than anyone in the NBA, rival executives with whom I spoke at summer league were universally convinced that the Sixers are now attempting to keep Harden. Discontent be damned,” wrote Amick.
What I’m hearing about Damian Lillard, James Harden, Chris Paul and more: Notes from Vegas, at @TheAthletic https://t.co/RkpMVt1xB0
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 13, 2023
Per Amick, Morey’s asking price for Harden pretty much lets other teams in the league know that he’s not serious about trading him, regardless of how Harden feels about that.
Harden is still reportedly keen to play for the Los Angeles Clippers next season, but the Clippers reportedly refused to include Norman Powell or Terance Mann in trade talks, and they didn’t seem interested in moving Paul George to Philadelphia either, so there’s not much of an incentive to do business with them.
Patrick Beverley and Joel Embiid have openly campaigned for Harden to stay in Philadelphia.
Nick Nurse’s arrival might as well be just what they need to get over the hump, and he did fare quite well alongside Embiid last season.
But keeping a disgruntled star might not be wise, especially after watching Harden and what he’s capable of when he’s not happy in a place.
NEXT: Patrick Beverley Has An Honest Admission About His Jersey Number Preference
