James Harden Participates Fully in 76ers Practice for 1st Time Since Trade Request

Despite the Philadelphia 76ers' inability to fulfill James Harden's trade request, the star guard was a full attendee at Sixers' practice Friday.

His status for the Sunday preseason opener is not yet known.

Harden missed Sixers media day Monday and the first day of practice Tuesday before participating in part of practice Wednesday.

Friday marked the first time he participated in the entire practice, including scrimmages, per PHLY Sports' Derek Bodner.

Harden was seen doing his signature run of arena stairs after practice.

Harden requested a trade in July and has since publicly clashed with Sixers management, at one point saying he would "never be a part of an organization" led by 76ers president Daryl Morey.

Harden's full participation comes as a relief for a team likely hoping to avoid a repeat of the Ben Simmons holdout saga from two seasons prior.

Like Harden, Simmons demanded a trade. Unlike Harden, Simmons did not join training camp practice when he did not get one.

When Simmons did rejoin Sixers practice, he was kicked out after refusing to participate in part of the session, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

Harden's full participation Friday, and Joel Embiid's report that the star guard's holdout hasn't been a distraction, are positive indications for the Sixers looking to avoid a similarly lengthy and litigious holdout.

That doesn't mean the Sixers' conflict with Harden is over, however.

The Athletic's Sam Amick reported Wednesday that "there was a strong sense from the Sixers' side that this was a step in the right direction toward a possible reconciliation," but that "Harden is still as adamant as ever that he wants a trade to the Clippers and that he has no intention of truly mending these fences with the Sixers."

Accordingly, when head coach Nick Nurse was asked after Wednesday's practice if Harden would be a regular participant in the rest of camp, Nurse's answer was affirmative but not definite.

"I think, yeah. He's here," Nurse said Wednesday. "He knows the schedule, right? We expect him to be here now. I think we can wait and see and all that stuff."

Harden accepted a $35.6 million player option for this season in a move he hoped would facilitate a trade from the Sixers, marking his third trade request since January 2021.