It’s been more than a month since James Harden requested a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers, but the Eastern Conference powerhouse is still waiting for an offer for their liking.
Harden turned down the chance to go into free agency, instead opting into his $35.6 million player option for the 2023-24 season. Barring an agreement on a contract extension, the 2018 league MVP will be eligible to enter free agency next summer.
If the 76ers archrivals come forward with a can’t-refuse offer for Harden, could Philly do the unthinkable and send him to the Boston Celtics?
At Fadeaway World, Lee Tran proposed a massive trade idea that has Philadelphia sending Harden and Furkan Korkmaz to Boston in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon and Derrick White:
“The Boston Celtics would give the Philadelphia 76ers two rotation quality players, who can help the team in the backcourt. Malcolm Brogdon is the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, and though he took a backseat on the Celtics, he can definitely slot into a larger role as a starting guard. Last season, Malcolm Brogdon averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game, while shooting a blistering 44.4% from 3PT range. Brogdon is also comfortable playing off-ball, which bodes well for Tyrese Maxey’s development.
Derrick White is a solid two-way guard, and in this scenario, White would likely come off the bench for the Philadelphia 76ers. With that being said, he could potentially be in the team’s closing lineup, as his defense is extremely valuable in high-stakes situations.”
It’s well-known that Harden’s wish is to team up with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in Los Angeles. And on Tuesday, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported that the Clippers and 76ers “are expected to engage again in discussions on a Harden trade this offseason.”
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But if the Celtics were to theoretically offer both Brogdon and White, it’d likely be awfully hard for the 76ers to say no, especially if they don’t receive a better proposal.
Boston made one blockbuster move earlier this offseason, sending away defensive stalwart Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team trade that landed the Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis.
Adding Harden to a roster led by Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Porzingis would unquestionably make Boston the team to beat in the East, if they aren’t already.
