Woj: Harden Opting into $35.6M Player Option and Demanding Trade from Philly; Wants to Play for the Clippers

[TheNewEra]

If the clippers had to give up Paul George it wouldn’t make sense to do the trade.

You think they wanna lock into this George/Kawhi team long-term to be deep in the tax and have them never healthy together for a postseason? I think the clippers might just be excited to get off of George and still get something back for him. Like if he opts in next year, I don’t even know that they wanna pay that.

If you are doing a move like that it’s for picks and a young player. Harden move is basically a last stand with all three really expiring because the clippers will clear cap space for the new arena. With pitch the years at a lower amount and the possibility to bring one someone to pass the torch.

[Karate Diop]

Nets fans repeatedly told Sixers fans what was going to happen but nah they didn't want to hear it...

Tough luck for the 76'ers... But we also need to ask at this point in time, just how overrated was "The Process"?

[realball]

i gotta be honest... i kinda cant wait for this generation of nba stars to just retire. im tired of the yearly marry go round of Harden, Westbrook, CP3, KD, Kyrie. Every year... every... year...

I don't believe that CP3 has ever demanded a trade or changed teams in free agency.

He demanded a trade out of New Orleans and got traded to the Clippers.

[Rapaz]

Nets fans repeatedly told Sixers fans what was going to happen but nah they didn't want to hear it...

Tough luck for the 76'ers... But we also need to ask at this point in time, just how overrated was "The Process"?

This process?




Or this one?

[Yank3525]

Blame Lebron for this shxt. He started this nonsense.

Nah, Lebron played out his contract and then left. You can get on him for the super team thing, but he isn't doing what Kyrie, KD, and Harden have been doing the last few years.

[DaPessimist]

I would never trade for this guy if I thought I was a contender. His top priority clearly isn't winning a championship.

[iggymcfrack]

If the clippers had to give up Paul George it wouldn’t make sense to do the trade.

You think they wanna lock into this George/Kawhi team long-term to be deep in the tax and have them never healthy together for a postseason? I think the clippers might just be excited to get off of George and still get something back for him. Like if he opts in next year, I don’t even know that they wanna pay that.

If you are doing a move like that it’s for picks and a young player. Harden move is basically a last stand with all three really expiring because the clippers will clear cap space for the new arena. With pitch the years at a lower amount and the possibility to bring one someone to pass the torch.

The Sixers’ primary goal is to retain Joel Embiid in the long term. Trading Harden for picks and a young player makes zero sense for them. They have to get something back they can sell to Joel or else Morey will just play hardball to the trade deadline and beyond. He already proved that when he refused to move Simmons until he got Harden.

[MagicMamba88]

Read on Twitter

[durden_tyler]

Please not to us for Scoot.

This should be funny indeed. All that waiting and you’ll get that “star” Dame wants in Harden. Worst case scenario indeed. (I don’t think your FO is that dumb)

[PaulieWal]

I am all for player empowerment but it's funny seeing some of these stars now wanting to switch teams every 1-2 years.

As flawed as Philly and Embiid is, it's still a great chance to win a ring (unless he's out on Embiid's health).

LeBron started it but they none of these guys are not as great a player, as disciplined, as mentally tough, as great a leader. People think Lebron took the easy route with 'Superteams' but no one else could do it. There is no 'EASY' route unless you join a 73 win team of course.

I don't really see the LeBron comp to be honest. He's never demanded a trade, never played for a team for less than 4 years and has never left without taking a team on a deep playoff/Finals run/title.

A lot of the stars now are just constantly changing teams 1-2 years without even accomplishing anything.

[Paradise]

Nets fans repeatedly told Sixers fans what was going to happen but nah they didn't want to hear it...

Tough luck for the 76'ers... But we also need to ask at this point in time, just how overrated was "The Process"?

This process?




Or this one?

Nah, this one. He’s a free agent the same year, we own your lotto pick. We warned you Sixer fans about Harden, you were an ignorant fan base about it. Eat it.

We have the hometown star you passed on in the draft on a cap friendly deal and you have Tobias Harris.

Now process that.

[CP3nthusiast]

Haliburton doesn't contribute towards winning, yet... Sacramento got better without him. Philadelphia has championship expectations.

Haliburton through 56 games: 29/5/15 per 100 on 49/40/87 splits, 7.2 BPM, .195 WS/48, 4.4 VORP. Team record with him 28-28 (.500), team record without him 7-19 (.269)

Harden through 58 games: 28/8/14 per 100 on 44/38/87 splits, 5.4 BPM, .188 WS/48, 4.0 VORP. Team record with him: 39-19 (0.672), team record without him: 15-9 (0.625)

What is Sacramento's record without Haliburton? What are the Nets and Rockets records without Harden? What is Harden's career record? What is Haliburton's career record? Again, the Sixers have championship goals, Haliburton can't even get you to the playoffs, yet...

Haliburton left a team that got an All-Star in return for him. Harden left a team that immediately went into a rebuild and another that got practically nothing in return for him. Hardly comparable.

Also, comparing their records makes no sense. Harden was 32 at the time he was traded, Haliburton was 21. Morey bet on Harden's experience when he should've bet on Haliburton's upside.

[og15]

i gotta be honest... i kinda cant wait for this generation of nba stars to just retire. im tired of the yearly marry go round of Harden, Westbrook, CP3, KD, Kyrie. Every year... every... year...

I don't believe that CP3 has ever demanded a trade or changed teams in free agency.

He demanded a trade out of New Orleans and got traded to the Clippers.

Why is ryguy613 mad at Westbrook? It's not like he's asking for trades, it's not his fault that teams are trading him. CP asked out of New Orleans 13 years ago when a new owner came in and they caught wind that a new direction was coming, and then he negotiated an opt and trade with LAC 6 years ago. His recent movement is called being older and not as good. It's not like he wanted to leave Houston or Phoenix.

It's what happens. Gary Payton from 34-38 played on Seattle, Milwaukee, LAL, Boston and Miami. Iverson ended his career playing for Denver, Detroit, Memphis and Philly all in a 3 year span. Shaq from 35-38 played for Miami, Phoenix, Cleveland and Boston, etc, etc.

[HotelVitale]

Nets fans repeatedly told Sixers fans what was going to happen but nah they didn't want to hear it...

Tough luck for the 76'ers... But we also need to ask at this point in time, just how overrated was "The Process"?

So right, man, definitely wish we had Simmons back. Gonna sting for a long time.

Also the Process was awesome, it was the 2 years of blunders by Colangelo and Brown/Brand after it that you're talking about. Those two years took a super young wildly promising 50-win team with the best trade war chest in the league--and turned 3 top-10 picks into Markelle Fultz and Zhaire Smith, cheap-o prime Robert Covington and two more 1sts into a Tobias Harris max, and also let Jerami Grant and Mikal Bridges slip through fingertips. (Also gave Al Horford a contract they had to pay out another first to dump, for good measure).

Also for real no one in Philly's upset about Harden. Was a good experiment but at this point he's a little too far gone to be an answer for us. No one regrets the trade, and everyone's also happy we're not signing him to some dumb 4-year max at this point. It kinda sucks, but not as bad as paying Simmons max $ to smirk in the corner did.

[DusterBuster]

Why are the Blazers on here?

[durden_tyler]

I am all for player empowerment but it's funny seeing some of these stars now wanting to switch teams every 1-2 years.

As flawed as Philly and Embiid is, it's still a great chance to win a ring (unless he's out on Embiid's health).

LeBron started it but they none of these guys are not as great a player, as disciplined, as mentally tough, as great a leader. People think Lebron took the easy route with 'Superteams' but no one else could do it. There is no 'EASY' route unless you join a 73 win team of course.

I don't really see the LeBron comp to be honest. He's never demanded a trade, never played for a team for less than 4 years and has never left without taking a team on a deep playoff/Finals run/title.

A lot of the stars now are just constantly changing teams 1-2 years without even accomplishing anything.

LeBron did start this trend. Or one of the superstars who did it early in a career. That jump to Miami, in his prime, just opened the floodgates.

[ILOVEIT]

Harden looking for another franchise to burn.

[TinmanZBoy]

1, Harden should have taken Brooklyn’s max extension, secure bag first then think about his move… if he committed to Nets, him and KD were potent enough, at least contending…
2, His hamstring injury basically closed his superstar status, even Daryl Morey would not give him max and commit to him
3, really don’t understand what he wants now, money? Championship? Clippers and Knicks will not give him better chance to win a championship, and they would not give him max either

[JB2]

Loving all the Nets vs Philly fans heat.

- A concerned Lakers fan

[iggymcfrack]

1, Harden should have taken Brooklyn’s max extension, secure bag first then think about his move… if he committed to Nets, him and KD were potent enough, at least contending…
2, His hamstring injury basically closed his superstar status, even Daryl Morey would not give him max and commit to him
3, really don’t understand what he wants now, money? Championship? Clippers and Knicks will not give him better chance to win a championship, and they would not give him max either

I’d imagine his back channeling suggests that the Clippers will give him a better extension than the Sixers and he’d rather live in LA.