76ers reportedly end James Harden trade discussions, plan for him to be at camp

James Harden isn’t going anywhere, at least for now.

The Philadelphia 76ers have stopped trade talks surrounding the star guard and plan to welcome him to training camp in September, ESPN reported Saturday.

The latest trade saga surrounding Harden began when he picked up his $35.6 million player option for the 2023-24 season in June, bypassing free agency as he reportedly wanted to be traded to the LA Clippers. Philadelphia has had “periodic” conversations with Los Angeles about a trade, but there hasn’t been any momentum building toward a deal as the 76ers don’t want to make a trade that they think will hamper their title odds, according to ESPN.

This marks the third time that Harden has requested a trade since the start of the 2020-21 season. The Houston Rockets moved him to the Brooklyn Nets in January 2021. Just over a year later, the Nets traded Harden to the 76ers in February 2022.

Harden, who turns 34 later in August, played at a high level for Philadelphia in his first full season with the 76ers. He scored 21 points per game and dished out a league-leading 10.7 assists per game, still proving to be one of the league’s top offensive guards.

However, Harden and the 76ers both fell short in the playoffs this past season. After going up 3-2 in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics, the 76ers lost the final two games of the series, with Harden averaging just 11 points over those losses.

The 76ers’ continued failure to reach the Eastern Conference finals plus Harden’s poor performance sparked speculation that his time in Philadelphia could be finished. Initial reports suggested that he was looking to return to Houston to play for the Rockets, but that didn’t happen.

Now, the 76ers are setting themselves up for “an uncomfortable situation” as Harden’s been “emphatic” in wanting a trade, according to ESPN.

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