In the ever-changing landscape of the NBA, it is not uncommon for teams to make bold moves and lay down jaw-dropping offers in an effort to secure top-tier talent. In this regard, the off-season trade witnessed a number of shocking trades that went down before the preseason games kicked off. One such trade was the Boston Celtics acquiring Jrue Holiday.
However, there was a dissatisfied James Harden in the backdrop who was throwing tantrums left and right; what was clearly evident was Harden’s wanting to leave the Philadephia 76ers and join the Clippers. Well, the plot thickens after reports suggest that the Los Angeles Clippers made a higher offer to Jrue Holiday than James Harden.
Clippers wanted Jrue Holiday more than James Harden
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@BASKETBALL ON X posted a short clip on X (formerly Twitter) recently. In the clip, we can see ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski state that Steve Ballmer, Clippers owner, was willing to bid more on Jrue’s $134 million contract with the
Portland Trail Blazers than former MVP James Harden. Adrian says, “
They were much more aggressive with Jrue Holiday.”
Although the Clippers were unsuccessful in retaining Jrue, they left no stone unturned. Adrian continues, “They wanted to get him and they offered more than they’re willing to do with Harden. So, there’s tiers to this; but right now, they do prioritize Harden over Malcolm Brogden.” The Clippers always had Harden as an option, but they weren’t overly crazy about the prospect.
Harden has been vocal about his desire to exit the Sixers, and as the preseason rolled in, it appears that he might have to stick it out with the team for another season.
James Harden’s future with the Clippers
Harden had previously shown interest in joining the Clippers. In fact, in the past weeks, he has been quite problematic because he wanted out from the Sixers. From calling the team’s President of basketball operations Daryl Morey a liar to missing the team’s media day and the first day of practice, Harden has since cooled down and is on his best behavior as of now.
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Every party in this situation is holding their horses for now and not making any moves, but Harden can still be hopeful about his future with the Clippers. As Adrian put it, the Clippers are now prioritizing Harden over Malcolm Brogden.
As negotiations unfold, fans and analysts will be closely monitoring the outcomes and the effects this will have on the league. Do you think Harden will be better off with the Clippers? Let us know.
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