Report: Damian Lillard, James Harden Trades 'Very Likely' Will Take Weeks to Play Out

Fans who are constantly refreshing their social-media feeds as they anxiously await word on trades for Damian Lillard and James Harden might be able to go outside for a little bit.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the process "very likely could still take weeks" to play out as the Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers evaluate various options and take offers from teams while tracking the market to maximize their potential returns:

"In both cases, expect to see a process in which the teams continue to survey their options, listen to offers from other teams and track the market, including what they could net in potential three- or four-team deals. This could play out over days but very likely could still take weeks in what is a very fluid process. But while the teams will do everything they can to position themselves as best as they can, the preferences of both Harden and Lillard hold weight, as no team will want to take on the possibility of adding a disgruntled superstar to their mix."

Harden might be the easier of the two players to move because of his contract status. The former NBA MVP opted in to his $35.6 million salary for 2023-24 with the intent on working with the 76ers to find a trade, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

If Harden had declined the option, he would have been eligible to sign a four-year deal worth up to $202 million from another club in free agency. The Sixers could have offered him a new four-year contract worth up to $210 million.

Lillard, by comparison, is guaranteed $152.97 million over the next three seasons and has a $63.2 million player option for 2026-27.

Wojnarowski reported Tuesday on SportsCenter the Sixers, understandably, have put a high asking price on Harden. They won 54 games in 2022-23 and are trying to maximize their window with Joel Embiid coming off an MVP season.

The 76ers can't afford to get a soft return for Harden, otherwise any hope they have of being able to compete with the top teams in the Eastern Conference next season and beyond is significantly diminished.

The Blazers are somewhat at a disadvantage because there aren't a lot of teams that might be keen on adding an aging guard (Lillard turns 33 on July 15) owed an exorbitant amount of money and send significant assets to Portland as well.

Charania noted Harden's preference is to play for the Los Angeles Clippers, while Lillard "remains very adamant" about only wanting to join the Miami Heat.

This raises more concerns for teams that might be interested in either player. This is the third time in three years Harden has requested a trade from a team. He spent two months early in the 2020-21 season doing everything in his power to get traded to the Brooklyn Nets.

Wojnarowski reported in February 2022 that Harden was intent on being traded to Philadelphia, but he didn't want to make a formal request to Nets management "out of fear of the public backlash" associated with asking for trades in consecutive seasons.

The Blazers would be in a full-scale rebuild if they trade Lillard, but the Heat don't really a strong offer that could facilitate a two-team trade.

B/R's Chris Haynes reported on July 1, in the immediate aftermath of Lillard's trade request, the Heat were preparing an offer to Portland built around Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and draft picks.

On Wednesday, Marc J. Spears of ESPN and Andscape noted more than five clubs have shown interest in a potential multiteam trade that would help facilitate a deal to get Lillard to Miami.

All of this suggests a tangled web that the front offices in Philadelphia and Portland have to work their way through before getting what they want for two high-level players. It's not a surprise trade talks could last for awhile, though it will be interesting to see if either or both player is still with his current team by the time training camps begin in September.