It is no secret that the Philadelphia 76ers want to acquire James Harden as part of a trade centered around Ben Simmons. They have made that known to the Brooklyn Nets, but apparently the conversation did not advance very far.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Romona Shelburne, 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey called Nets general manager Sean Marks on Jan. 11 to discuss potential trades. The real reason for the call was to ask about Harden. Marks flat-out told Morey “no.”
That conversation was the only exchange between Morey and Marks. The Nets know Morey still covets Harden, but they have not given any indication that they will trade the 10-time All-Star before Thursday’s deadline.
Harden does not have an agent, but Wojnarowski and Shelburne say he and his manager Lorenzo McCloud have been searching for one. Harden hired agents to help him facilitate a trade from the Houston Rockets to Brooklyn, so the fact that he is searching for representation again is significant. Though, Harden is set to become a free agent after the season and may want an agent to help him with his next contract.
While Harden has told his teammates he is committed to trying to bring a title to Brooklyn, he has reportedly been frustrated with the Nets for at least one reason. Those frustrations have almost certainly grown amid an eight-game losing streak.
The Nets would easily be one of the best teams in the NBA if all their star players were healthy and available. That has rarely happened since they assembled their big three of Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Durant has missed a month with a knee injury. Irving is a part-time player due to his COVID vaccination status. Harden has also sat out the past two games with a hamstring injury.
Durant has reportedly made his stance on a potential Harden trade clear. Unless Harden asks to be dealt or tells the Nets they have no chance of re-signing him this summer, they will likely take their chances by sticking with their core down the stretch.
Photo: Feb 1, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden (13) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
