NBA Rumors: James Harden, Jrue Holiday 3-Team Trade Talks Don't Have 'Much Traction'

The Philadelphia Sixers do not have "much traction as of Friday afternoon" on a prospective three-team trade involving dealing James Harden and acquiring Jrue Holiday, according to PHLY Sports' Kyle Neubeck.

The prospective trade would send Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers and move Holiday from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Sixers, per Neubeck.

Conversations between the Sixers and Clippers about a Harden deal this summer fell apart in mid-August, Neubeck reported.

Harden requested a trade in June for the third time since January 2021. Meanwhile the Blazers are expected to "move pretty quickly" on trading Holiday, whom they acquired Wednesday as part of the Damian Lillard trade, per Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski on Thursday named the Sixers alongside the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers as examples of teams interested in pursuing Holiday.

"Any team that is trying to win, and trying to keep up with this arms race in the East... they want in on Jrue Holiday," Wojnarowski said. "You can judge the total value of what [the Blazers] got in this deal for Damian Lillard by ultimately what they next come out of once they move Jrue Holiday."

The Sixers reportedly want in on this arms race, but they can't focus only on acquiring firepower.

The team also has to figure out a way to deal Harden, who picked up his $35.6 million option with the Sixers only to demand a trade. The Philadelphia star was fined by the NBA in August after publicly saying he would "never be a part of an organization" led by Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey.

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey reported Tuesday on SiriusXM NBA Radio he didn't expect Harden to attend the Sixers' Media Day Monday. That brings back flashes of the drawn-out Ben Simmons saga and raises concerns that Harden could decline to play this season until he is traded.

The means the Sixers have to prioritize shipping Harden out before his potential holdout can impact the team's 2022-23 season. According to Neubeck, that could hurt their chances of landing Holiday.