James Harden had the chance to opt right out of his contract and head into free agency, but the 2018 NBA MVP instead made a rather bold move.
Last week, the future Hall of Famer decided to opt into his $35.6 million club option for the 2023-24 season as a way to help the Philadelphia 76ers work on a trade.
At NBA Analysis Network, James Piercey proposed a massive three-team blockbuster trade that would see the 76ers deal Harden to the archrival Boston Celtics in a deal involving the Chicago Bulls.
In Piercey’s proposal, the 76ers would land guard Zach LaVine from the Bulls, with Harden going to Boston. In return, Chicago would get Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon, Grant Williams, Boston’s 2025 first-rounder and Philly’s 2029 first-round pick:
“There is no way the Sixers will be able to get a player as good as Harden for Harden. There aren’t many of them, and even if there were, they would not be available to the public.
Having said that, they could get a co-star who is a better match for Joel Embiid, since he is a more natural fit. Harden is a talented player, but he is reluctant to work off the ball – and Embiid is more comfortable with it when he does so.
In contrast, LaVine is more willing to take advantage of the off-ball opportunities. Embiid is much better at shooting off the catch, and he is able to use his athleticism to thrive as a cutter when he is moving from the high post to the low post.”
On one hand, the 76ers would most certainly prefer not to deal Harden to a rival and top competitor in the Eastern Conference. But they’re not dealing from a position of strength here, and Piercey’s proposed trade works for all three teams.
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Losing Harden would hurt, but the 76ers would be landing a two-time All-Star guard who has averaged over 23 points per game in five straight seasons.
The Bulls would be getting a nice combination of future assets and three veterans to help them stay competitive. Boston, of course, would be getting one of the game’s prolific scorers to accommodate the super duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
But whether Philly actually trades Harden, and whether they’re actually willing to deal him to an archrival, remains to be seen.
