NBA Trade Rumors: Two possible landing spots in the event that James Harden elects to leave the Brooklyn Nets.
Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported that this frustration stems between living in Brooklyn and Kyrie Irving’s role as a part-time player. If that’s the case, Harden can essentially force his way out of the Nets organization, as he can decline his $47.3 million player option for next season and become an unrestricted free agent.
With Kevin Durant signed through the 2025-26 season, Brooklyn hoped to extend its championship window past this season. However, with both Harden and Irving having player options for next season, the team’s 2019 free agency splash and subsequential blockbuster trade with Houston could return no championship rings.
Of course, the Nets are still a good spot this season, sitting within a game of the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed, remaining as one of the league’s championship favorites. This means it’s extremely unlikely they would choose to trade Harden in the upcoming weeks, as any potential return would decrease their playoff chances drastically.
The former MVP got off to a rough start this season, understandingly impacted by the league’s changes to their foul-drawing rules. Ultimately, he’s put together an impressive season for himself, averaging 22.7 points, eight rebounds, and 10.1 assists per night.
Plenty of teams would love to add a player of Harden’s caliber but have difficulty doing so due to the max contract he will certainly be seeking. With the lack of cap space around the league, it’s more than likely that Harden would find a new team by facilitating a sign-and-trade with his potential suitor.
With that being said, let’s look at two organizations that both have the assets and willingness to trade for a franchise-shifting talent.
James Harden destination No. 1: Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are the most obvious destination for James Harden, as they both have the assets and front office connection with the superstar. It’s looking more likely that the team will wait past the trade deadline to trade point guard Ben Simmons, waiting for a better offer.
They seem to be convinced that they can make a real run at Harden in the offseason, as president of basketball operations Daryl Morey obviously has an extensive relationship with the Net. From a Philadelphia perspective, they would be acquiring Harden while losing no part of their current roster, as Simmons hasn’t suited up for a game since last year’s playoffs.
A potential duo of Harden and Joel Embiid would immediately catapult to the top of the Eastern Conference, with Embiid establishing himself as an MVP-favorite this season. Besides the one-two punch, Philadelphia has the ability to hold onto Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, Seth Curry, and Matisse Thybulle, formulating a legitimate championship contender around their star power.
In these sign-and-trade scenarios, the Brooklyn Nets have little to no leverage, as Harden essentially decides where he wants to play. However, in this situation, a return of Ben Simmons would be one of the best the team could hope for.
Although the Nets are a team built to win now, they can re-tool with different pieces around Durant, including some of their recently drafted rookies, in order to construct a reputable roster. KD almost beat the eventual NBA-champion Milwaukee Bucks in a seven-game series last year and would have if his shoe size was a little bit smaller.
Therefore, while it makes lots of sense to reward Embiid’s play this season by acquiring another superstar, the Nets would also benefit from this transaction if Harden is set on leaving, adding an all-defensive team caliber player and valuable distributor.
James Harden destination No. 2: Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks have started to find their groove in the 2021-22 season, winning eight of their last ten to move to 27-20 on the year. Turning 23 in February, Doncic has taken a minor step back this season, only shooting 29 percent from beyond the arc.
The Mavs are seemingly stuck with this current core for the foreseeable future, with Doncic’s max rookie extension kicking in next season. In order to acquire a new star, Kristaps Porzingis would likely be included in the trade, as he’s set to make $33 million next year.
Porzingis has failed to elevate Dallas to a real contender alongside Luka, as the 7-foot-3 sniper is similarly only shooting 29 percent from 3-point land. That kind of efficiency from long-range from your two most important players isn’t going to translate into a championship-caliber offense.
A potential sign-and-trade for Harden might.
With James Harden already being familiar with Texas-living, Dallas makes a ton of sense as a potential landing spot. Initially, there will be some on-ball concerns between Doncic and Harden, as both love to operate with the ball in their hands. However, both are good enough passers to make it work, and if they are surrounded by adequate shooting in the remaining three positions, the Mavs’ offense would be one of the best in the league.
Of course, to make this work, Porzingis would have to be sent back to Brooklyn. A duo of Durant and Kristaps sounds intriguing at the very least, especially if the Latvian gets back to his 3-point shooting ways. Even when moving on from Harden, this move wouldn’t take the Nets out of championship contention entirely.
If a James Harden-Dallas Mavericks fit seems wonky, that’s because it is. But owner Mark Cuban hasn’t been afraid to take risks before, and the potential upside of this tandem is multiple NBA championships.