James Harden doesn’t want drama. He just wants out of an irreparable situation.
The Sixers point guard is “ramping up” to be available to play in the Oct. 20 preseason finale against the Hawks. But skeptics wonder if Harden is only doing this because he expects to be traded
WILMINGTON — One can only hope the James Harden saga gets resolved quickly.
The point guard is either going to come back and play for the 76ers or hurry up and get moved to another NBA team.
He is practicing with the Sixers and performing his normal post-practice shooting routine. He’s “ramping up” with the hope of being available to play in the Oct. 20 preseason finale against the Hawks at the Wells Fargo Center. But skeptics wonder if Harden is only doing this because he expects to be traded.
» READ MORE: James Harden lost trust in Sixers front office and doesn’t believe relationship can be mended
So what’s going to happen if the Clippers, who are interested, backs out of negotiations? What will Harden do then? Will he become a distraction and make things uncomfortable for the Sixers?
Those are important questions to ponder.
But what we do know is it will be tough for Harden to fully commit to the Sixers after his statements about Daryl Morey, the team’s president of basketball operations.
In August, Harden said, “Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of.”
And Harden didn’t exactly change his stance Friday, his first time speaking to the media this preseason.
Asked if the relationship could be repaired, he emphatically replied, “No!”
Why?
“It’s not even about this situation, this is in life,” Harden said. “When you lose trust in someone, it’s like a marriage. When you lose trust in someone … it’s pretty simple.”
Despite that, he’s fitting in well right now with his teammates and Sixers coaching staff. It’s not hard get be on your best behavior when you expect to be traded shortly.
» READ MORE: James Harden to miss Monday’s exhibition game against the Brooklyn Nets
The Clippers want to get a deal done soon. They’re offering a first-round pick, a draft-pick swap, and expiring contracts for the 2018 MVP and three-time scoring champion. And a source said Los Angeles doesn’t want to raise their offer. As the only team bidding for him, the source said the Clippers don’t feel a need to do so. The source said Morey is the one holding up the deal.
But the plan to add draft-pick swaps in a package for Harden hasn’t moved the needle for the Sixers. They’ve said they’re interested in a package that includes Clippers guard Terance Mann and first-round picks. But the source said Morey knows Mann is untouchable.
The Sixers are looking for an All-Star player or assets to acquire for Harden. That’s why draft-pick swaps may not be good enough. And word is that the Sixers don’t expect the picks from the Clippers, who need to stay relevant in a big market, to be that valuable, especially with them being a perennial playoff team.
But for now, Harden’s has been far from the distraction he was expected to become this preseason.
“He’s been really good at practice,” new coach Nick Nurse said. “I know he’s working extremely hard almost every night. I know the workouts at night are really intense, as well.
“We are just doing it day by day. That’s it.”
Harden is not an ideal fit for Nurse’s free-flowing offense.
The future Hall of Famer has been known to dominate ball. But Harden can adapt like he did while playing alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant with the Nets. And being more of a facilitator last season, he led the league with 10.7 assists per game.
» READ MORE: Former Sixers coach Doc Rivers’ advice to James Harden: ‘Just play and it will work out’
On Friday, Harden praised Nurse’s system.
“I think it’s more spacing, more opportunities for everyone and just unpredictable,” he said. “He can change things up on the fly, and if things in one, five, six, seven possessions aren’t going right, or in one quarter, he can change it and make adjustments.
“Which is very difficult to do. But he’s very, very good at that.”
While all that sounds good, Harden’s relationship with Morey is beyond repair.
He says he intends to play this season.
“Like I said, I can control what I can control,” Harden said. “I take it one day at a time, and focus on every day is a new day. My plan is to play basketball, yes, for sure.”
But will his plan change if the Sixers can’t work out a deal?