NBA star left red-faced after asking for a trade - only for both teams to say no

31 October 2023 , 15:30

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Furkan Korkmaz wanted to be traded as part of the James Harden deal but both the Philadelphia 76ers and LA Clippers rejected the idea (Image: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

An NBA player was keen to be part of the trade that sent James Harden to the LA Clippers - but his request was turned down.

According to an NBA Insider, Philadelphia 76ers player Furkan Korkmaz, 26, also wanted to be traded to the Western Conference team with the 10-time All-Star, but both teams were against the idea. After spending four years playing in his native Turkey, the shooting guard and small forward was selected by the Sixers in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft, where he has remained ever since.

During that time he had spells playing for the Delaware 87ers in the NBA G League. Throughout his NBA career Korkmaz has averaged seven points and has an average of 17 minutes on the floor per game. Korkmaz has been planning an exit from the Sixers since the early stages of 2023. He asked to be traded before February’s trade deadline after playing in just 25 games up to that point last season.

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At that stage, he had produced his lowest scoring averages and lowest amount of time on the court since his rookie year. “I just let those guys handle it — my agent, my organisation-wise,” he said back in January. “Right now, I don’t think it’s going to make a lot of sense for me to say anything about it, because it’s not in my hands at some point. For me, the best thing that I can say is I want to be happy, you know? I want to be on the court. And whatever they think is working with the team, that’s fine with me.”

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Despite Korkmaz’s wish for more game time elsewhere, it will not happen at the LA Clippers alongside Harden. Almost three months after his astonishing comments about 7ers general manager Daryl Morey, the three-time scoring champion finally got his wish and found a way out of Philly.

According to ESPN, the Clippers will receive Harden as well as PJ Tucker and Filip Petrusev in the deal. In exchange, the Sixers acquired Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nic Batum, KJ Martin. They also received a 2028 unprotected first-round pick, two second-round picks, a 2029 pick swap and another first-round pick that will come through an an as-yet-named third team.

Korkmaz wanted to join Harden and PJ Tucker who were both sent to the Clippers (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Harden initially requested a trade back in June and openly criticised Morey two months later after not getting what he desired, claiming he had been betrayed by the man he once had a solid relationship with. “[76ers president] Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organisation that he’s a part of,” Harden said at a promotional event in China in August.

“Let me say that again. Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organisation that he’s a part of." Since then, Harden failed to attend the first media day before the season began, turned up to the Sixers training camp late, skipped a practice session and did not play in any preseason games.

But now Harden’s efforts to leave the Sixers worked out in his favour and ESPN claimed he is “ecstatic” that he has finally been moved to the team of his choosing. The Clippers have won two of their first three games of the season so far and adding Harden to a team that already includes Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook, could spell trouble for the rest of the league.

Liam Llewellyn