James Harden’s time with the 76ers appears to be at an end, as ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Harden will pick up his $35.6 million player option, and the two sides will work together “to explore trade scenarios.”
Per Wojnarowski, Harden has likely played his last game with Philadelphia, and the opt in allows for more potential destinations via trade, whereas opting out and becoming a free agent would have put potentially interested teams in more complicated salary cap situations.
So, who could be in play for Harden, the 10-time All-Star and three-time scoring champion who became a polarizing figure among Sixers fans after his disappearing act in the postseason?
According to Wojnarowski, the Knicks and Clippers are the top teams expected to engage with the Sixers on a potential trade.
The Knicks have long waited for their opportunity to trade for a star, but many fans will likely be opposed to making that move for a 33-year-old who has asked to be traded from multiple organizations already, including the Nets, and was widely criticized for his play in last season’s playoffs, where he shot 37.2 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from downtown in the final six games of Philly’s loss to the Celtics in seven games.