The New York Knicks would reportedly consider acquiring James Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers, but only at a price they’re comfortable trading.
“If the price is right, I think the Knicks would consider it. I’ll just leave it at that,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the Hoop Collective podcast (28:50 mark).
Harden surprisingly opted into his $35.6 million contract for the 2023-24 season Thursday with the idea of forcing a trade from Philadelphia. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Clippers and Knicks are expected to be among the teams interested.
Harden spent just 79 games in a Sixers uniform over two seasons. Acquired in a deadline deal during the 2021-22 season, Harden’s tenure with the Sixers has been defined by a marked downtick in scoring, an uptick in assist totals and more playoff failures. Philadelphia failed to get past the second round of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, leading to the dismissal of coach Doc Rivers.
While Rivers’ firing seemingly set the stage for a Harden return—the pair did not have a strong relationship—it seems talks of a new contract fell apart in recent days, leading to the 2018 NBA MVP to ask for a trade.
This is the third time since the beginning of 2020 that Harden’s asked for a trade. He first forced his way out of Houston during the 2020-21 season, then pushed his way out of Brooklyn a year later and is now seeking an exit from Philadelphia.
Interest in Harden will likely be limited in large part due to his increasingly unserious nature. It’s become impossible to trust Harden at anything beyond a year-to-hear basis, and his continued playoff failures limit interest from teams looking to make a playoff push.
The Knicks and Clippers will almost certainly be looking to add Harden at a severe discount; it would be a surprise to see them part ways with any All-Star caliber talent. Philadelphia will be limited to asking for spare parts and draft compensation, which would then likely be flipped as part of another trade for a co-star for Joel Embiid.
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