James Harden wants out of Los Angeles, according to reports.
As the Los Angeles Clippers struggled against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night at home, the NBA world was shocked to hear that Harden was on the hunt for a new team after missing his second-straight game due to personal reasons.
All signs have pointed to Harden being in control of the trade narrative, making a surprise push for it as he’s done in the past, but The Ringer’s Bill Simmons strongly questions that idea.
“Are we sure Harden asked out?” Simmons asked his four million followers on X on Tuesday morning.
“Or… Did LAC actually agree to a Garland/Harden trade, then asked a surprised Harden to waive his 15% trade kicker to make it work cuz of Cleve’s 2nd apron? Then Harden said, ‘Fine, but I want an extension.’ Cavs said no. So Harden said, ‘I’m out!’”
It’s worth asking the question, considering the timing of Harden’s trade request.
Earlier in the season, the Clippers were one of the most disappointing teams in the league. It looked like they could be on the verge of imploding after a drama-filled offseason. Harden’s name popped up in trade rumors, but it was a result of teams reaching out to see if he could be on the block due to a Clippers fire sale.
There weren’t any signs of Harden forcing his way out at the time, resembling his final days on a struggling Houston Rockets or Brooklyn Nets team years back. Instead, Harden and Kawhi Leonard took their play up a notch, and the Clippers started clicking. Suddenly, they became one of the hottest teams in the league.
At 23-26, the Clippers are in the Play-In picture. It’s not where they expected to be when the season started, but it’s a massive upgrade compared to where they were in the fall. Yet, it doesn’t seem to matter to Harden. The veteran guard seems to be on the verge of a change of scenery.
“He means a lot to our team, and you’ve seen it the last three years,” Lue told reporters on Monday after declining to comment on any rumors. “He means a lot.”
More NBA: Kawhi Leonard Breaks Silence on James Harden Trade News
The locker room, seemingly as shocked as everybody else, didn’t have anything negative to say about the situation. With everything coming together so abruptly, it’s clear that the Clippers’ change in plans for this season doesn’t make a ton of sense for everybody. Over time, the true details behind Harden’s potential fallout in LA will be revealed.
For now, it’s just all speculation. Simmons’ theory seems to be gaining some steam with NBA fans across social media.
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