Things are about to receive very uncomfortable in South Philadelphia.
On Saturday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Philadelphia 76ers have abandoned makes an attempt to trade James Harden and are planning to bring him to practising camp:
Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
ESPN Sources: The 76ers have ended trade talks on guard James Harden and realizing to bring him motivate to practising camp for birth of the season. The Sixers had periodic offseason conversations with the Clippers — Harden’s desired destination — nonetheless no traction on a deal materialized. pic.twitter.com/sJwXMsBYKW
Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
Harden has been emphatic in looking a trade, so the Sixers are constructing an uncomfortable teach to birth camp. By hook or by crook, Philadelphia would now not originate a trade that they believed would compromise their title hopes.
Phew boy. Obtain out the popcorn.
Harden, 33, has twice forced trades in his profession, as soon as faraway from the Houston Rockets to the Brooklyn Nets, and as soon as faraway from the Nets to these Sixers. The belief this offseason was as soon as that he was as soon as looking to receive to the Los Angeles Clippers to pair with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
Seeing because the Clippers did now not have any stars they could additionally simply supply the Sixers in such a deal—and seeing because the Sixers have a short title window while looking to maximise the title window of defending MVP Joel Embiid, so that they weren’t excited by receiving pennies on the buck unprejudiced appropriate on story of Harden wanted to be moved—no deal materialized.
And it be constructing what ought to be a basically awkward showdown to birth the 2023-24 season, as NBA Twitter smartly-known:
Tomer Azarly @TomerAzarly
Clippers have ample as is to receive, the expertise has by no formulation been their teach.
Neither crew budged and now Philly will have an ungainly teach at camp. Let’s test how this plays out. https://t.co/UgPTHV0w8O
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Pondering we have two examples, with two varied teams, of what occurs as soon as you occur to play James Harden when he doesn’t desire to be someplace, I’m now not particular that is going to trot smartly for the Sixers.
Dan Devine @YourManDevine
Daryl Morey’s Willingness to Obtain Unlucky vs. James Harden’s Willingness to Prepare Fastidiously in Las Vegas and Atlanta with Lil Baby. The unstoppable power. The immovable object.
Mike Sielski @MikeSielski
The #Sixers‘ title hopes were compromised the second Harden requested a trade. Twice already, he has proven that he’ll mope his diagram to a recent crew. What a multitude. https://t.co/euHXHWuuK5
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
So Daryl Morey often said in case you desire James Harden, you no doubt have to have a James Harden stage trade equipment?
Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 @big_business_
The market advised James Harden he doesn’t switch the needle pic.twitter.com/Y3P99ASNWh
Zainab Javed @zrjaved
Every 76ers offseason change is admire rolling a boulder up a hill and comically slipping on a banana peel as soon as you occur to could per chance additionally be end to the tip for eternity https://t.co/0195RaK6Vw
Adam Aaronson @SixersAdam
There could be now not any quiz that a crew led by Joel Embiid and James Harden has a moderately high ground — they’ll receive moderately quite a bit of standard season video games, nonetheless there is minute evidence to this level that they’ll also be appropriate championship contenders. Nonetheless, again, I develop now not know one more certainly better
Sean Barnard @Sean_Barnard1
There could be now not any teach where James Harden is a high-stage contributor on a championship-contending crew varied than the Sixers and there is minute chance for the Sixers to beef up their title probabilities by getting an beef up in a Harden trade
In fact feel uncomfortable nonetheless is ideal for every https://t.co/KEnCKrShZY
This feels admire a no-receive teach for every an depressed Harden and a Sixers crew that doesn’t desire a disgruntled big title on its hands, except one among two things occurs:
- Harden decides to give the Sixers one closing heartfelt shot in an attempt and receive a title sooner than departing in free company next summer.
- A trade inspiring one other big title player by hook or by crook materializes. Love, for example, if Damian Lillard without be conscious expressed an passion in taking half in with Embiid and a third crew wanted Harden, it particular would open up the form of door the Sixers are attempting for. Nonetheless that feels admire a prolonged shot.
So for now, we could per chance additionally simply be in for a pair of months of subtweeting and low-effort highlights that adjust into viral memes and furious Embiid expressions and unprejudiced appropriate the fundamental dysfunction that has perceived to cling-out the Sixers in their post-Job makes an attempt to be contenders.
Come what could, this group has unprejudiced appropriate by no formulation moderately been in a position to receive it proper around Embiid. It be almost droll at this level. Even Philly fans—who can flip to the Philadelphia Eagles and Philadelphia Phillies, every who made their respective championships closing season, for more genuine and reasonable title hopes—look like in on the shaggy dog epic at this level.