The Clippers were “stunned” to learn that James Harden wanted out of Los Angeles, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, who reports (via Twitter) that Harden and his camp expressed his desire to be traded.
However, Harden must have informed the team some time ago, as Siegel and his ClutchPoints colleague Tomer Azarly hear Harden and the Clippers have been discussing the possibility of parting ways for “weeks” (Twitter link). L.A. has strong interest in Darius Garland, per Siegel and Azarly.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported earlier that the Clippers and Harden were working together to try and find a suitable deal by Thursday’s deadline. The Cavaliers appear to be the frontrunner to land the 11-time All-Star, but other teams appear to be in the mix as well.
According to Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports, rival teams have speculated that Harden’s contract may be at the center of the trade request. The 36-year-old has a player option for 2026/27 worth $42.32MM, but only $13.32MM of that figure is guaranteed.
The Cavs are seeking draft compensation, particularly a first-round pick or swap, to trade Garland for Harden, sources tell Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link). The Clippers have balked at that idea, says Mannix.
Appearing on SportsCenter (Twitter video link), Charania reports that Harden has expressed reservations about his future with the Clippers. The eight-time All-NBA is hoping to land with a championship contender, according to Charania, who confirms the Cavaliers are one of the main suitors for Harden.
Sources tell Azarly and Siegel that Harden was hoping to sign a two-year, $80MM (guaranteed) deal to remain with the Clippers this summer, but the team is unwilling to go beyond one year. There’s still a chance Harden remains with the Clippers past the deadline, Azarly and Siegel add.
The Cavaliers are believed to have asked about the Clippers’ 2030 first-round pick, sources tell ClutchPoints.
The Timberwolves are among the teams with interest in Harden, but they didn’t have traction on a potential trade as of Monday night, per ClutchPoints. The Raptors and Pelicans also inquired about Harden, but the 17-year veteran has “no interest” in being traded to either team, according to Azarly and Siegel.
After Monday’s loss to Philadelphia, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was asked about the situation. While he declined to talk specifics, he made it clear how he feels about Harden, saying the star guard “means a lot” to the organization, per Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (Twitter link).
So listen, James Harden is an amazing basketball player. And I don’t dislike him personally. That being said, I really hope he never wins an NBA championship. This schtick has gotten very very old.
I love how in Philly he was talking about how he loved Daryl Morey and their connection but it only took 1 and a half years for him to do a 180 and call him a liar
And it all had to do with $. Morey did technically “lie” and renege on a ‘handshake’ agreement that Morey would extend him in the offseason, but Harden finished that playoff series vs. Boston throwing passes to invisible people and there was talk amongst local media that Harden was “checked out” mentally in Game 7 they got smoked vs. Boston. Harden expected to get his extension and Morey wasn’t having it after the way the season ended.
I think a similar situation is playing out now, Frank is telling him there isn’t going to be an extension and Harden is throwing a fit demanding to be traded
You have to be insane to give this man a trade kicker lmfao 15% of 40 million.. e z $
Worth leaving your hometown for, and also to not retire as a clipper. Cleveland would be silly to try and pair Donovan Mitchell with James Harden. I just don’t see it meshing. At least Garland’s ego is in check, and he cuts backdoor instead of stand on the logo when he doesn’t have the ball.
LOL
Stunned! James Harden wants out!!!
He is actually incredibly consistent.
Incredibly. Also incredibly consistent disappearing in big games.
If the Clippers were actually stunned by this, they are as dumb as we already all thought they were.
They won’t get a better player than Garland for Harden.
Yeah, Harden has burned a few bridges along his way, hasn’t he. I don’t see the Cavs as the team to trade for him. This sounds like wishful thinking on the Clippers part.
CAVS are crazy to do this ……. they actually think they can contend with Harden?
Mitchell+resurgent Harden sounds like a deadly combo that could beat Detroit on top of Mobley and Allen helping on defense
Never, ever trust James Harden, my friend.
Death, taxes and James Harden disappearing post-season.
Cleveland ain’t winning anything.lol
Again, this doesn’t make sense for CLE. Harden doesn’t really fit there. It makes much more sense with the Raptors. Harden for Quickley makes a lot more sense.
He’ll change his mind on the Raptors when other options dry up. That’s the one that really fits.
Stunned by James Harden wanting out, well I have beachfront property in Nebraska that has your name aaaaaall over it!
Be better if the clippers traded Harden for Randle then Kawhi and someone for Garland and Allen
That someone could be Collins, Bogi, Zu or a combination of DJJ and BLopez
Clippers get younger and form a big 3 of Garland Randle Allen and maybe you’ve still not Zu and can send him away for another piece or pick. The rest of the roster is all 1 or 2 year deals so it wouldn’t take long for you to have some money for FA too
Oh well Clippers just stay being mid
James and Jimmy… each year… one of them has to make noise…
Why? Why would the Cavs voluntarily destroy their culture by bringing in this perpetual cancer and permanent loser? It seems NBA executives will never learn and we will forever chase the dream of super teams. Any team he’s on is a short of the first or second round exit..
That’s “assured” not “a short of”
They won’t. Kenny avoided coaching Harden in Bklyn. I don’t expect him to do it now.
Altman seems like he’s desperate to make something happen. I understand wanting to be aggressive and also move on from Garland, but Harden is not the type of guy I’d want to take a big swing for.
Perpetual cancer is a bit harsh. He has never gotten much complaints from teammates. And people who have worked with him in the past have not exactly bashed his positive contributions. Morey even acquired him a second time, and then extended him a third time.
Call him dumb or selfish sure. I don’t like that he keeps pulling this same nonsense. But by all accounts people in the NBA like the guy. Far from a cancer.
what a surprise.. harden’s unhappy again .. can’t wait to see which GM wreaks his team when harden “no shows” during the playoffs.. he’s running out of teams to destroy.. bit hasn’t been a laker yet
Harden is a trash can and has done so much to make games unwatchable. The step back travel. The throw the basketball into the defender to draw a foul.
He and SGA deserve nothing.
Don’t see how you can equate SGA with Harden as far as their style of play is concerned. I too, strongly dislike the Harden three-ball-or-get-free-throws style, but he was smart to exploit what the league was giving him. It is unwatchable, unless he plays for your team.
SGA on the other hand is poetry in motion.
Hmm
I think Garland on the Clippers is not as likely to win a playoff series as Cleveland plus Harden, but I can see how the Clippers can convince themselves that a trade that makes them a little worse now and a little better over the next couple of years might be worth it. They’d basically just be taking Harden’s contract and rolling it forward to extend their window (such as it is).
lol. tiny Darius Garland and his weak toes? good choice LA…..
“I’d really like to win a championship, and I’d like for that to happen without my actually having to play well.” – James Harden
But pay me like I play well
Ok now I get it. This leak is coming from Harden or Clippers (probably harden) trying to get someone to call and offer a trade. If the Cavs deal actually had traction then why go talk to every sports reporter there is? Harden trying to force his way out once again. Why do other players like this guy?
I shared my thoughts on Harden on a previous post, so now I figure I’ll look at it from the Clippers end.
If Harden is dealt before the deadline for a guy who is only 26, does that signal a shift in the Clips plan and they look at moving Kawhi as well? They are one of the, if not the hottest team in the NBA over the past 60 days, but they’re still not a serious contender for a Championship as constructed. Obviously they’re trying to move other vets like Collins, but do they go fully nuclear and hit a hard reset?
What the Clippers should do and what they will do are sadly two different things. What they should have done ages ago was trade these clowns and get younger and more reliable.
What will they actually do? They will probably trade Harden and otherwise ignore their roster issues. “We want to see how Garland (or whoever) fits first” or something else stupid.
I think Kawhi stays unless he requests a trade himself. Ballmer gets really emotionally attached to individual players.
Amazing how almost all the posts here share the same opinion on JH. The question is how is he so oblivious about how he comes off. And at this point whatever championship he may win will be on the heels of other stars and therefore will not change the way we view his legacy.
He doesn’t care about his perception or a chip. He wants the $$$. Fine, who doesn’t want money. But if this is how he does it, then the tarnish comes with it. I suspect he is fine with that.
Hard to believe CLE, of all teams, would go off the rails by adding Harden to their mix. While Garland may not be the best fit alongside Mitchell, in almost every way Harden is even worse in that regard. I can understand trying to move Garland for value, and maybe the CLE sees something here along those lines, in the form of the LAC draft picks and/or a young player. Still, there has to be a simpler way of doing it.
The concept of ‘aging superstars’ usually doesn’t work. Look at Damian Lillard, Harden, Paul George, Kawhi, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, AD, Bradley Beal, etc. All great players in their primes.