James Harden Won't Be Traded Unless 76ers Get a 'Very Good Player,' Daryl Morey Says
The Philadelphia 76ers are only going to trade James Harden for the right price, at least according to president of basketball operations Daryl Morey.
"If we don't get either a very good player or something we can turn into a very good player, we are not going to do it," Morey said during an appearance on 97.5 FM The Fanatic (h/t Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer).
The comments come after ESPN's Zach Lowe reported the situation was a "total stalemate" with Harden looking to be moved to the Philadelphia 76ers.
"As far as I know, the James Harden situation remains a total stalemate," Lowe said on his Lowe Post podcast. "There's only really one team that he wants to go to, that team is the Clippers, their level of engagement here to me is unclear slash not super enthusiastic. I don't know what to make of the possibility that Harden would ever go back to Philly. I continue to hear from people who would know that the bridge is burned. But that's what people who would know would say on July 17, with two months or whatever before training camp."
Harden opted into the final season of his contract at $35.6 million but apparently wants to be moved before the start of the campaign.
From Philadelphia's perspective, it is difficult to envision it contending in the Eastern Conference without him barring the type of return that Morey mentioned. Even with Harden leading the league with 10.7 assists per game last season, the 76ers lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs.
For now, it seems as if the situation will continue to drag on with no immediate resolution in sight.
But Morey didn't sound like someone willing to deal the 10-time All-Star just to deal him.
