Knicks Don't Need 76ers' James Harden for NBA Finals Push Amid Latest Trade Rumors

The New York Knicks checked in on disgruntled Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden but have no real motivation to get a deal done, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.

It is not terribly surprising that the Knicks would not have a real sense of urgency to bring Harden on board.

Nor should they.

Harden has handled the circumstances of his desire for a contract extension about as wrongly as one possibly could. First, he just signed a new deal with the Sixers in the 2022-23 season and afterward, said all of the right things.

"This is where I want to be. This is where I want to win, and I think we have the pieces to accomplish that goal."

He continued, "From my first day with the 76ers organization, the team and the fans have helped me feel at home here in Philadelphia. I'm excited to build off of last season and I can't wait to get out on the court with the guys and start this journey."

Now, after one season and a disappointing playoff run in which Harden did not exactly ball out later, he wants more money or to be shipped out of town. He has expressed his dislike for President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morely publicly, then skipped media day and sat out two days of training camp.

Add in Stephen A. Smith's report on ESPN's First Take that Harden "talked himself out of a max deal" with the Rockets by expressing a selfish desire to return to being the league scoring champion and you have the impression of a guy that may not understand that he does not come before the team.

That is not what a young, developing New York Knicks team needs at this point.

Did the team have a disappointing season in 2022-23 compared to the previous year? Yes, but the emergence of Jalen Brunson as a star for that organization and his developing chemistry with Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, and Josh Hart provided fans and the front office with flashes of championship potential.

With another full offseason to further gel and decide what the team wants to be in its pursuit of its first NBA Championship since 1973, they hope to be legitimate contenders in a conference that got much tougher with the arrival of Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The last thing this Knicks team and its young core need is to have Harden come into that locker room, plant seeds of selfishness, and focus more on returning his status to MVP level in hopes of signing another big-money deal than winning games and competing for a title.

Does Harden have the ability to make teams better based solely on his wealth of knowledge and experience? Absolutely. Is that something he appears to be concentrated on at this point in his career?

Not according to everything that has come out about him and his focus over the last handful of months and for that reason, the Knicks were right not to engage any further in talks with Philadelphia to acquire him.

If the team was that interested in picking up a guard, the window was there to engage Portland in conversations for Jrue Holiday before Boston swooped in and brought him to town. Keeping an eye on potential trade targets throughout the offseason and even into the regular season itself would be more beneficial for the organization than making an unnecessary, potentially drama-filled deal for Harden at this point.