All about the James Harden trade request saga

James Harden‘s saga of the trade request has finally come to an end. In the early hours of Tuesday morning, it was confirmed through various reports that the Philadelphia 76ers were sending Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers, along with PJ Tucker and Filip Petrušev.In return, the Sixers are acquiring Robert Covington, Nicolas Batum, KJ Martin, Marcus Morris Sr., and valuable draft compensation, which includes an unprotected first-round pick in 2028. To create the necessary roster spot for this trade, the team is waiving Danny Green, as per reports. Notably, all of the acquired players, Morris, Martin, Batum, and Covington, have contracts set to expire.

A Brief Tenure

Harden’s tenure with the Sixers was relatively brief, lasting for a full NBA season, consisting of 79 regular-season games since his trade from the Brooklyn Nets to Philadelphia in February 2022.

During this time, the 10-time All-Star had his share of highlights, including an impressive 45-point performance in Game 1 and a 42-point showing in Game 4 during the team’s second-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics. Harden excelled in facilitating MVP Joel Embiid’s greatness and offering guidance to young guard Tyrese Maxey.

Under Harden’s leadership, the Sixers posted a 54-28 record, their best since the 2000-01 season. However, after a disappointing Game 7 loss to the Celtics, the team replaced head coach Doc Rivers with Nick Nurse. Harden, in the meantime, exercised his player option and requested a trade.

Fiery Exchanges

During the conclusion of his second stint under Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey was marked by tension and public disagreements. In August, Harden publicly criticized Morey as a “liar” during an event in China, resulting in a $100,000 fine from the NBA for public trade demands.

Harden’s absence from media day and Nurse’s first training camp practice was notable, but he eventually rejoined the team. Morey was clear in his stance, stating that the Sixers would either trade Harden for a player that could enhance their championship contention or for draft picks that would expedite their search for such a player.

Harden explained his loss of trust in Morey, emphasizing the difficult nature of the situation and the importance of trusting the people one has known for over a decade. He expressed his desire to retire as a Sixer when he was traded to the team, but it became clear that it was not in the front office’s plans.

After a brief absence due to personal matters, Harden returned to the Sixers last week but did not accompany the team on their season-opening road trip. Instead, he watched the Sixers’ victory over the Portland Trail Blazers from the bench. Nurse confirmed that Harden was still ramping up and would practice on Tuesday, but it’s now clear he won’t be part of that practice.

With this trade, the Sixers transition into a new phase led by Joel Embiid and the emerging star Tyrese Maxey, who recently received the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week award after a strong start to the season.

FAQs

Q1. What did the Sixers trade for James Harden?
In the trade, the Sixers are getting back Robert Covington, Nicolas Batum, KJ Martin, Marcus Morris Sr. and draft compensation that includes a 2028 unprotected first-round pick.

Q2. When did James Harden request for trade?
James Harden initially requested a trade to the Clippers in June after picking up his $35.6 million player option for the 2023-24 season. In mid-August, he called 76ers team president Daryl Morey “a liar,” seemingly regarding his trade request remaining unfulfilled.