James Harden dealt blow over trade having made Philadelphia 76ers feelings clear

19 July 2023 , 14:36

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A trade taking James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers is reportedly unlikely (Image: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

James Harden, the former NBA MVP, has expressed his desire to leave the Philadelphia 76ers, but his preferred destination of the Los Angeles Clippers seems unlikely.

The 33-year-old has been the subject of much speculation in recent weeks, with trade talks swirling around him. However, the Sixers are considering the option of keeping Harden and letting him fulfill the remaining year of his contract.

The Clippers have reportedly shown interest in acquiring Harden, and the player himself is keen to return to his native Los Angeles. However, according to Sports Illustrated (via the Express US), a potential trade involving Harden is unlikely if it means the Clippers have to give up Terance Mann and their future first-round draft picks.

Should Harden leave the Sixers, there are concerns that reigning league MVP Joel Embiid may also consider leaving the franchise. Embiid, who averaged 33 points and 10 rebounds per game last season, has made it clear that his main goal is to win a championship before his career comes to an end.

While he has built a strong relationship with the Sixers and the city of Philadelphia, he is willing to switch teams if it means having a better chance at achieving his dream.

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"I just want to win a championship. Whatever it takes," said Embiid during an appearance at the UNINTERRUPTED Film Festival. "I don't know where that's going to be, whether in Philly or anywhere else, I just want to have a chance to accomplish that."

He added: “I want to see what it feels like to win that first one, and then you think about the next one. It’s not easy. It takes more than one, two, three guys. You’ve got to have good people around you. Myself, every single day, I work hard to be at that level so I can produce and make it happen."

James Harden has expressed his desire to leave the Philadelphia 76ers (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

The Sixers recently named Nick Nurse as their new coach, following their elimination from the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Nurse's appointment means that both Embiid and possibly Harden will be playing under a new coach.

Embiid has had a rocky relationship with Nurse in the past, with heated exchanges on and off the court. But Nurse has gained a newfound appreciation for Embiid's skills and determination.

"I think that it's been an interesting experience coaching against Joel," Nurse said. "We threw everything almost I think you could possibly throw at a guy because it was that hard for us to try to stop him. So we threw a lot at him. I understand there were some exchanges and things... when you're out there and you're in the heat of really competing, I didn't even really remember them."

"But I accidentally had my TV on yesterday and I saw a couple of them, and they were pretty good. It kind of grew to such a -- for me anyway -- respect level of him. We'd throw one thing and literally even in that playoff series a game later, he would adjust to it and we couldn't do it."

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Liam Llewellyn