NBA Exec on James Harden Trade: 'Who F--king Knows' Due to Contract Situation
An NBA Eastern Conference executive expressed uncertainty when asked where he expects Houston Rockets guard James Harden to be following the 2020-21 trade deadline.
As part of an anonymous survey conducted by ESPN's Tim Bontemps, the exec said: "Who f--king knows, man. I don't think he gets traded unless other teams get involved and there becomes a bidding war of sorts. Otherwise I think they just hold pat. They're not going to trade him for crap."
Harden, who is the reigning three-time NBA scoring champion, is reportedly unhappy in Houston and has requested a trade ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.
Harden reportedly turned down a contract extension that would have paid him $50 million per season and specifically asked to be traded to the Brooklyn Nets so he could form a Big Three with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon later reported Harden is open to a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers and other contenders.
Of the eight executives polled, six said Harden will still be with the Rockets after the deadline, one chose the Nets and one chose the Sixers.
The Western Conference exec who chose the 76ers said: "I still think [Brooklyn] can put together the best package for him. Maybe someone else can, but theirs is the best one I see."
Assuming the Nets keep both Durant and Irving in a trade for Harden, they would be able to offer draft picks as well as some talented members of their supporting cast such as Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie and Jarrett Allen.
The Sixers are a logical landing spot for Harden as well since longtime Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is now the president of basketball operations in Philly.
Unlike the Nets, however, the 76ers don't have much to offer outside their superstar tandem of center Joel Embiid and point guard Ben Simmons.
A trade involving Simmons would almost certainly be enough to land Harden given Simmons' age (24) and potential, but there may not be enough meat on the bone otherwise.
One Eastern Conference scout said, "The universe of options is limited," with regard to where Harden could end up.
For now, the eight-time All-Star and one-time NBA MVP remains with the Rockets, and although he was late getting there, he is with the team in training camp.
Harden is part of a talented roster that includes newly acquired point guard John Wall, free-agent signings Christian Wood and DeMarcus Cousins, and key holdovers such as Eric Gordon, P.J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr.
The Rockets could be a factor near the top of the Western Conference if Harden remains in the fold, which is a possibility since he is under contract for at least two more years.
