‘Everyone’s circling’: Harden saga could spark Sixers ‘crisis’… with two NBA rivals ready to pounce

Joel Embiid has not requested a commerce from the Philadelphia 76ers, however that doesn’t imply two rival groups specifically aren’t monitoring the tense James Harden scenario carefully.

Harden seems destined to be on the transfer from Philadelphia after calling Sixers basic supervisor Daryl Morey a “liar” in a latest look at a camp in China.

Harden added he would “never be a part of an organisation that he’s part of,” referring to Morey, who was additionally his longtime GM throughout his time at Houston.

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The 76ers celebrity solely doubled down on these claims when talking to KHOU 11 quickly after, seemingly resigned to the very fact his relationship with Morey can’t be repaired.

“I think so,” Harden stated on the time.

The NBA has since launched an inquiry into these feedback, with Harden stated to have instructed the league as a part of that investigation why he publicly got here out and referred to as Morey a “liar”.

A report from The Athletic claims Harden stated Morey instructed him he can be traded “quickly” after opting in for a $35.6 million cope with Philadelphia forward of the 2023-24 season.

That didn’t occur although, with the Sixers now reportedly anticipating to maintain Harden.

Harden, nonetheless, is pushing for a commerce and it has two NBA groups all for what that would imply for celebrity teammate Joel Embiid.

“Everyone’s circling, waiting,” a league supply instructed Yahoo’s Vince Goodwill.

“The Knicks and Miami are keeping an eye on everything going on.”

That is in step with reporting from NBA insider Marc Stein, who reported in his newest Substack that the Knicks and Heat “are among teams monitoring the situation”.

“Because they would wish to be at the front of the line if Embiid did ask out,” he added.

Stein although made certain to emphasize in his report that Embiid has not been requested to be traded and that rival groups are merely preserving tabs on developments simply in case that occurs.

“If/when that happens is when the Harden situation truly becomes a crisis for Morey and the Sixers,” Stein wrote.

The Los Angeles Clippers have been Harden’s most well-liked commerce vacation spot.

According to Stein, the Sixers’ “primary team-building objectives” contain discovering ‘another star to fortify their Joel Embiid/Tyrese Maxey core” and “preserving next summer’s pathway to vital wage cap house with no matter they do”.

Stein reported that ought to the 76ers commerce Harden for a “draft-pick heavy package” that’s not a sign that they’ll look to rebuild.

Rather, he studies the plan can be to flip these picks in a deal to land a “top-level player” to place alongside Embiid and Maxey, as per a type of key team-building targets.

That in itself can also be in step with feedback Morey made to 97.5 The Fanatic in July.

“If we don’t get either a very good player or something we can turn into a very good player, then we’re just not going to do [the trade],” Morey stated.

“If James were to turn his mind around, we would all be thrilled. You’ve heard [Joel Embiid’s] comments about that. But at this moment, he prefers to be traded, and we are attempting to honour that.”

Morey has twice traded for Harden, most not too long ago final 12 months in a cope with Brooklyn and beforehand whereas basic supervisor of the Houston Rockets.

Morey, whose 2019 tweet in assist of Hong Kong protesters grew to become a significant controversy in China, left the Rockets in 2020 and was rapidly employed by the 76ers.

Harden is a three-time NBA scoring champion and 10-time NBA All-Star guard. He led the NBA in assists final season.

The 76ers misplaced to Boston in final season’s Eastern Conference semi-finals, with Harden going scoreless within the second half of a decisive seventh-game defeat.

It was the sixth consecutive playoff look for the 76ers however they haven’t reached the Eastern Conference last since a 2001 run to the NBA Finals, the place they misplaced to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Harden, the 2018 NBA Most Valuable Player, exercised a participant contract possibility in June for subsequent season price $35.6 million, permitting Philadelphia to signal two veteran free brokers — with the understanding Morey would work on a deal to ship him to the Clippers.

Morey, nonetheless, should now take a look at preserving reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Embiid blissful in regards to the 76ers’ probabilities to be a title contender.