The jury is still out on how badly James Harden wants to leave the Brooklyn Nets.
Earlier this week, a report emerged suggesting that Harden had multiple beefs with his current squad. Namely, he wasn’t vibing with head coach Steve Nash, and he didn’t like the preferential treatment Kyrie Irving received. Those factors, coupled with a general distaste for living in New York, apparently led to a desire on his part to explore joining the Philadelphia 76ers.
On Wednesday, ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski came out with an opposing point of view. According to him, Harden had told the Nets that he was happy where he was and dedicated to the organization’s mission.
Naturally, this led to some confusion.
Regardless of where Harden truly stands on Brooklyn, this much is clear: He is very open to the prospect of playing alongside 76ers center and current MVP candidate Joel Embiid.
“Joel Embiid is the alpha dog for the Sixers, commanding the lion’s share of shots and serving as the focal point of the franchise, a dynamic that could make some ball-dominant players pursue an opportunity elsewhere,” wrote Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “But sources said Harden would welcome playing with Embiid if he became a Sixer. The guard had a lot of individual success playing for Morey as a Rocket. Sources say Harden believes he could have similar success playing alongside Embiid.”
It will be interesting to see where the Nets go from here. Obviously they’re not interested in dealing Harden at the moment with a potential title in 2022 still within grasp.
If they fail to win it all this year, it really wouldn’t be all that shocking to see Harden walk, and if he expresses a legitimate desire to leave, the Nets will scramble to get something for him over just letting him walk for nothing.
More must-reads: