Philadelphia 76ers star guard James Harden has apparently removed any mention of the team from his social media bios.
James Harden has removed everything Sixers related from his bio on social media 👀 pic.twitter.com/2HJWE3cMAe
— Sporting News NBA (@sn_nba) July 20, 2023
Harden opted into the final year of his contract with the Sixers but is widely expected to be on the move via trade this offseason.
The Los Angeles Clippers have been rumored as a potential destination for Harden, and he reportedly only wants to be traded there.
James Harden only wants a trade to the Clippers, per @ShamsCharania
“We’ve seen how James Harden can come into camp when he’s disgruntled”
(Via @TheRally ) pic.twitter.com/WtY51upqS2
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 17, 2023
Harden was dealt to the Sixers during the 2021-22 season in the blockbuster trade that sent Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets. Philly has enjoyed some success with Harden on the roster, making the second round of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.
However, the organization hasn’t been able to get to the Eastern Conference Finals in years, and it appears Harden wants a fresh start.
Philly came up short in the playoffs in the 2022-23 season, losing in Game 7 to the Boston Celtics in the second round. The Sixers had a 3-2 series lead, but they couldn’t win either of the final two games.
While Harden is no longer the same player that he was when he won an MVP award with the Houston Rockets, he still has been effective for the Sixers.
During the 2022-23 season, the 10-time All-Star averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game while shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from beyond the arc.
The Sixers are in a tough spot with Harden, as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2023-24 season. If the guard doesn’t want to play for the team — and his social media activity may suggest that — then the Sixers may need to cut their losses this offseason.
The Clippers would be an interesting fit for Harden since the team already has stars like Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Adding Harden to those two players could help the Clippers get over the hump in the Western Conference.
Even if the Sixers were to indeed trade Harden, they’d still have a strong core capable of contending in the East. Guard Tyrese Maxey is turning into a star, and center Joel Embiid won the league’s MVP award in the 2022-23 season.
The Harden situation in Philly should develop more as the offseason continues.
