Report: Former MVP expects trade after opting into contract

After forcing his way to Philadelphia after a year in Brooklyn, Harden declined his $47.3 player option and signed for $33 million, to help the 76ers add talent. But team president Daryl Morey and the 76ers weren't willing to give Harden what he wanted on the next deal and now the 10-time All-Star is looking for a trade.

While Harden could simply sign with another team as an unrestricted free agent, the amount of NBA teams with enough cap space to actually sign him has been dwindling. After a series of tax-saving moves sent Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors for Jordan Poole and John Collins to the Utah Jazz for cap relief, there simply aren't many teams who can afford Harden at $40+ million.

At age 33, Harden is not quite the dynamo who won three scoring titles and an MVP award last decade. But he still led the league in assists last season with 10.7 per game while helping center Joel Embiid win his first MVP trophy. In 58 games, Harden averaged 21 points and 6.1 rebounds while shooting 38.5 percent from three-point range.

Harden also delivered in the playoffs, putting up games of 45 and 42 points against the Boston Celtics – one with Embiid sitting out – before Doc Rivers and the 76ers blew a 3-2 lead and lost the series.

Now, Philadelphia and Harden have a tough task. They have to find a team that will both give Harden a contract he wants and also send back players to keep Embiid and the Sixers competitive. Shams Charania reported that the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns were interested, though Phoenix seemingly already has two scoring guards in Bradley Beal and Devin Booker. A three-team deal might be necessary.

If a deal goes through, this would be the third time Harden was traded in the last two-and-a-half years. In January 2021, Houston sent him to Brooklyn for a massive haul of picks – three first-rounders and four pick swaps - only for Harden to demand a trade a year later. That deal sent The Beard to Philly for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and two first-round picks.

The trade returns have been diminishing and they're likely to diminish even more. Harden turns 34 in August and will presumably get paid a lot, both of which will hurt his trade value. Meanwhile Philadelphia will remake its team for at least the third time around Embiid, after trading for Jimmy Butler in 2019 and Harden in 2022.

Harden wants to get paid. Philly wants to get out of the second round. We'll see if either side can get what they want.