James Harden?has been among the most influential players in modern NBA history. From being part of the Thunder trio to revitalizing the Houston Rockets, he solidified himself as one of the best offensive threats. But since his exit from the Rockets, his scoring prowess has dropped. The Beard displayed hints of ruthlessness in his current stint with the 3rd-seeded?Philadelphia 76ers?but couldn’t deliver when it mattered the most. Apart from the two 40+ games in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, Harden scored 67 points in the other 5 games – unable to touch the 20-point mark in all of them. Due to his sloppy crunch-time performances, even his season-leading 10.7 assists per game aren’t helping his cause.

Harden has chosen to pick up his $35.6 million contract option for the coming season with Philly. He has clarified that he is currently looking for a new jersey to represent and is not interested in settling for less like last year. Harden opted out of his player option worth $47.4 million last summer and agreed to a two-year contract worth $68.6 million. He gave up nearly $15 million. Harden’s move with the 76ers indicated he wanted to win a title. The problem arises when probing ‘how?’ and, most-importantly, ‘where?’.

A Lillard-like situation for James Harden

With Harden being clear about his plans for over two weeks, the 76ers haven’t yet found a deal. It is similar to Damian Lillard in Portland, where the Blazers haven’t accommodated their star despite heavy signings early in the month.

In a conversation with Rachael Nichols,?Joel Embiid?said that he understands James’ decision from a business point of view and appreciates how he has been handling things. On a side note, Embiid is optimistic that James’?“mindset can be changed”?if the duo can see eye-to-eye for a championship.

Upon multiple interactions with Harden, his stance on a trade request hasn’t changed. Despite that, the 76ers haven’t displayed any urgency in fulfilling the 10-time All-Star’s request. Ramona Shelbourne says Philly understands?“they have leverage”?in the situation.

Nevertheless, there could have been additional factors influencing Harden’s decision. His performance and market value have slightly declined in recent years.

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In the recent season, he averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 10.7 assists, accompanied by a disappointing shooting percentage of 38.5% from beyond the arc. Despite his exit, the odds of Harden receiving a max contract from other teams are dim.

Where will James Harden land next?

If history has to suggest anything, complications arise when Harden’s trade request isn’t promptly fulfilled. The Rockets’ recent signing of VanVleet as their key veteran makes them a less likely destination for?The Beard.

While there won’t be any homecomings for James, the Los Angeles Clippers, however, have been rumored as a pleasant destination for Harden.

The Clippers have just signed Westbrook for $7.2 million. For all the bad games Westbrook has had in the last 2 years, Brodie deserves more. At this point, he has signed up for his love for the game. Regarding Harden, no matter how sweet the deal might sound, the Clippers lack assets to trade for him. They don’t have pieces to entice 76ers or first-rounders.

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Considering the complications and potential trade scenarios, do you think the Clippers can crack a deal for Harden? If yes, will the reunion of teammates in Brodie and The Beard finally lead the Clippers to all the success they have been aiming for all these years?