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Community Shootaround: James Harden

September 17th, 2023 at 1:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The James Harden drama has been one of the big NBA stories this offseason and the latest scuttlebutt suggests it’s not going away any time soon.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports that the Clippers, not Sixers, shut down trade talks this summer.

Harden has been disgruntled (even if Kyrie Irving doesn’t like that description) since the Sixers didn’t give him a lucrative extension. Harden opted out last summer in exchange for a lesser salary with a second-year player option.

Harden opted in before free agency this summer to secure that guaranteed money, then demanded a trade. Philadelphia set a high price with some combination of expiring contracts and draft picks. The Clippers were the only team that seemed mildly interested in trading for the 2018 MVP.

Harden has publicly called Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, one of the guard’s biggest supporters over the years, a liar.

Harden has incentive to report to training camp in a couple of weeks under the new CBA. He stands to lose his unrestricted free agent status for next summer if he holds out.

Morey has already seen how an unhappy Harden can disrupt a team. When Harden wanted to get out of Houston, he came to camp out of his shape and only appeared in eight games before he was traded to Brooklyn.

The Clippers could be posturing, waiting for the Sixers to cave and lower their demands. Or they could simply go with what they’ve got. They already have a point guard battle on their hands with Russell Westbrook, Terance Mann and Bones Hyland angling for playing time.

Windhorst indicated that the Clippers aren’t expected to pursue any trades before the regular season.

That leads us to today’s topic: In light of the latest developments, do you think Sixers will be able to trade James Harden prior to the season? If so, will he wind up with the Clippers or do you think he’ll go to another playoff contender?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Clippers Reportedly Ended James Harden Trade Talks

September 17th, 2023 at 8:58am CST by Arthur Hill

Word leaked last month that the Sixers had taken James Harden off the trade market taken James Harden off the trade market, but it was actually the Clippers that shut down talks between the teams, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the latest edition of his “Hoop Collective” podcast (hat tip to Clippers Fan Nation).

“(The Clippers) tried to trade for James Harden, and that deal didn’t happen,” Windhorst said. “And from what I understand, it was the Clippers who said, ‘Okay, there’s no deal here. We’re gonna move on.’ And while I assume that they could certainly make a deal midseason, I assume that this is what they’re gonna go with.”

L.A. was Harden’s preferred destination when he asked to be traded in late June after his surprise decision to pick up his $35.6MM player option for next season. With the Clippers not pursuing a deal, at least for the time being, there was no viable market for Harden and the Sixers stopped trying to create one.

That decision led to an angry outburst from Harden during an appearance in China, where he called president of basketball operations Daryl Morey “a liar” and blasted team management for the way it has dealt with him over the past two years. Harden also vowed that he will never be part of an organization run by Morey, a statement that will be tested when training camp opens in two weeks.

He received a $100K fine for those comments and the NBA launched an investigation of whether there had been a handshake deal in place when Harden took a pay cut a year ago. However, the league found no evidence of any wrongdoing by the Sixers.

Although Morey shopped Harden around the league, he reportedly set the asking price so high that other teams weren’t willing to meet it, a tactic he also used when Ben Simmons asked to be dealt two years ago. According to multiple reports, the Clippers were unwilling to part with young guard Terance Mann or their best draft assets in a proposed deal.

While the Sixers wait to see if Harden will continue to try to force his way out of Philadelphia, the Clippers appear satisfied with their current roster going into camp. Windhorst doesn’t expect L.A. to pursue any more trades until the season is underway.

Sixers Notes: Green, House, Reed, Nurse, Dowtin

September 15th, 2023 at 6:30pm CST by Rory Maher

Danny Green‘s one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Sixers is fully non-guaranteed, sources tell Yossi Gozlan and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

As Gozlan details, Green’s deal has multiple trigger dates that would give him sizeable partial guarantees. If the veteran wing makes the opening night roster, he’ll earn $500K; if he’s still on the roster on November 24, the guarantee will increase to $750K; and if he remains on the team by December 24, he’ll be guaranteed $1.3MM.

The NBA’s league-wide guarantee date is January 10. If he’s not waived by January 7 (in order to clear waivers before Jan. 10), Green will earn his full $3.2MM salary.

Here’s more on the Sixers:

In June, wing Danuel House picked up his $4.3MM player option to stay with the 76ers for 2023/24. He called the decision to come back a “no-brainer,” writes Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. As Mizell notes, House has a longstanding friendship with teammate James Harden, but the 30-year-old said he has “no knowledge” about Harden’s future with the team. “I respect any decision that he (Harden) does,” House said. “Everything that’s going on, (I) don’t know.” Harden, of course, requested a trade after picking up his own player option, then publicly criticized president of basketball operations Daryl Morey after it was reported that the Sixers planned to keep the former MVP.
Big man Paul Reed says new head coach Nick Nurse has made an early impression ahead of training camp, tweets Mizell. “Since the first day, he’s already been really hands-on,” said Reed, who added that Nurse has been working with him on his shooting form. Reed was a restricted free agent this summer and signed a unique offer sheet with Utah, which Philadelphia matched. The 24-year-old previously discussed Nurse envisioning an expanded role for him.
The Delaware Blue Coats — the Sixers’ NBA G League affiliate — recently acquired Jeff Dowtin‘s returning player rights from the Osceola Magic. The 26-year-old guard is currently on a non-guaranteed deal with the Raptors — if he’s still on the roster past October 21, he’ll receive a $900K partial guarantee. According to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link), the G League trade won’t impact the Raptors as long as Dowtin remains under contract in Toronto. It just means the Blue Coats will hold Dowtin’s G League rights if he’s waived and unable to find another NBA deal. Dowtin was on a two-way deal with Toronto last season and spent time with the team’s NBAGL affiliate, the Raptors 905. NBA contracts take precedence over G League rights — that’s how Toronto was able to assign Dowtin to the 905 in ’22/23, Murphy adds (via Twitter).

Atlantic Notes: World Cup Effects, Knicks, Schröder, Porzingis

September 14th, 2023 at 9:29am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks and Nets may benefit from having star players involved in the World Cup this summer, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. New York’s Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart were both starters for Team USA, while RJ Barrett was an important member of the Canadian squad that captured the bronze medal. Brooklyn’s Mikal Bridges also started for the Americans and Cameron Johnson was on the team, although he didn’t play as much.

Begley cites research from ESPN’s Kevin Pelton (subscription required), who studied the NBA performance of players from 2010 to 2021 after they took part in international competitions. Pelton found they averaged 2.1 points per 100 possessions above the league average.

At last year’s training camp, Begley talked to Evan Fournier, a veteran of international basketball with the French team, about what it’s like to go straight from a tournament to an NBA season with almost no rest in between.

“It really hits you in December; you have the first wave of fatigue,” Fournier said. “It’s not my first time dealing with it, so I know how to manage myself. I know being in the weight room is going to be very important. Sleep is going to be very important, but … I’ll be all right.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Knicks are optimistic after advancing to the conference semifinals last season, but a lack of height at the wings could be a concern, observes Zach Braziller of The New York Post (subscription required). Apart from Barrett, New York has to rely on undersized options such as Hart, Quentin Grimes and Donte DiVincenzo.
Dennis Schröder told “NBA Today” that new head coach Darko Rajakovic played an important role in his decision to sign with the Raptors (Twitter link from ClutchPoints). “I think Darko, the head coach,” Schröder said. “… I met him five years ago in OKC. We became friends. … I definitely said to my agent, ‘I want be there.’ … I think it’s a great fit.”
The Celtics‘ trade for Kristaps Porzingis was the best offseason move in the Atlantic Division, David Aldridge of The Athletic contends in a discussion of the division with other Athletic writers. However, Aldridge, Josh Robbins and Jared Weiss all agree that Boston took a risk regarding team culture by parting with Marcus Smart in the deal and not keeping Grant Williams. Robbins and Weiss cite the Sixers‘ coaching change, replacing Doc Rivers with Nick Nurse, as the most impactful move.

Silver Discusses Player Participation Policy, In-Season Tournament, More

September 13th, 2023 at 8:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA’s new Player Participation Policy is designed to create the best possible product for the fans, commissioner Adam Silver told reporters, including Steve Aschburner of NBA.com, at a press conference Wednesday.

The guidelines, which were approved on Wednesday by the Board of Governors, were pursued by “everyone in the league,” Silver said. That includes owners, management, coaches, the NBPA and some individual players. They’re focused on producing a better experience for paying customers at the arenas and more reliability for media rights holders.

“This is ultimately about the fans,” Silver said. “And that we’ve taken this (load management) too far. This is an acknowledgment that it has gotten away from us a bit.”

Silver has been working for years to overcome the problem of the league’s best players appearing in fewer and fewer games. Under the PPP, teams will be subject to hefty fines if they violate the policy by giving excess rest to their stars, who are defined as anyone who has made an All-Star or All-NBA team during the previous three seasons.

“That doesn’t mean we were turning the clock back, that players are expected to play through injuries or that players never need rest,” Silver said. “But there’s a statement of a principle in this league that, if you’re a healthy player, you’re going to play.”

There’s more from Silver’s press conference:

The commissioner acknowledged that the new in-season tournament, which will debut this fall, may take a while to resonate, Aschburner adds. Silver added the league is committed to a long-term approach with the event. “It’s a multi-season issue, to the extent we’re looking to create a new tradition,” he said. “… If we’re seeing early indications of success, we’re going to see a little ratcheted-up intensity.”
Silver repeated his distaste for trade demands like the ones issued this summer by Damian Lillard and James Harden, per Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Although the Trail Blazers and Sixers haven’t made much progress on moving their unhappy stars, Silver doesn’t believe the public declarations are good for the league. “In terms of trade demands, of course, don’t like them,” Silver said. “As a league, want players and teams to honor their contracts. And I’m watching both the situation in Portland and Philadelphia, and hope they get worked out to the satisfaction of everyone before the season starts. And I’m glad that things seem to have settled down somewhat, at least in terms of public discourse.”
Silver said the league won’t do anything to force the sale of the Trail Blazers, relays TV station KGW8. When Paul Allen died in 2018, his will stipulated that the parts of his estate, including the NBA team, must be sold. However, Silver complimented Paul’s sister, Jody Allen, for running the team in “a first-class manner.”

Danny Green Signs One-Year Deal With Sixers

September 13th, 2023 at 1:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

SEPTEMBER 13: Green has officially signed with the Sixers, the team announced today in a press release.

SEPTEMBER 5: Free agent wing Danny Green has agreed to a one-year deal with the Sixers, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Green gives the Sixers 20 players on their camp roster, including their reported camp deal with David Duke. The Sixers had 13 players with guaranteed deals — it’s likely Green accepted a veteran’s minimum contract, though it’s uncertain whether he got a full guarantee.

Green finished last season with the Cavaliers after he was bought out by the Rockets. Green was sent from Memphis to Houston at the trade deadline as a salary-matching piece.

Green spent most of the season recovering from an ACL tear and didn’t play at all until February 1. He averaged 14.3 minutes in three games with the Grizzlies and didn’t suit up for the Rockets. Green, 36, played eight regular-season games for the Cavaliers and also appeared in four games during the postseason.

Green, of course, has a history in Philadelphia. He played for the Sixers during the 2020/21 season and part of the following year.

The career 40% 3-point shooter gives the Sixers another veteran wing option.

Can Maxey Take Next Step As Playmaker?

September 12th, 2023 at 9:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nick Nurse was one of the pioneers of load management during the Raptors’ championship season, when he limited Kawhi Leonard‘s playing time to keep him fresh for the postseason. With the NBA imposing new penalties for load management, Nurse will have to carefully navigate how much he tries to rest MVP Joel Embiid, as well as James Harden if Harden remains on the Sixers, Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Embiid has publicly acknowledged that proving his durability has been a personal goal, Mizell notes.
Tyrese Maxey has already dramatically improved his shooting during his short NBA career. If he can do the same as a play-maker, then the Sixers can search for a third wheel to join him and Embiid, rather than finding another guard to run the show. That could make next year’s free agent class much more enticing, since the Sixers are positioned to have more cap space than any other team, Derek Bodner of Allphly.com writes.

Training Camp To Begin In Colorado

September 11th, 2023 at 10:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Sixers big man Filip Petrusev averaged 8.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game during the World Cup, helping Serbia to its surprising silver medal performance. Petrusev is now looking forward to his first NBA season, George Efkarpides of Eurohoops.net writes. “This is a motivation maybe to just keep working,” he said. Philadelphia signed the draft-and-stash prospect in July.
The first Sixers training camp under Nick Nurse will begin far away from Philadelphia, according to Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer. They’ll be at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo. from Oct. 3-6. Whether James Harden is still on the team or shows up for camp remains up in the air.

World Cup/Team USA Notes: Paul, Embiid, SGA, Canada, Bertans

September 11th, 2023 at 8:33pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Add Chris Paul to the list of stars who might join Team USA for the 2024 Olympics. The Warriors point guard is considering another Olympic appearance, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. Paul won gold medals during the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

Joel Embiid would be an even bigger catch for Team USA, which lost three times in the World Cup in large part due to its lack of interior size. However, the Sixers’ big man, who holds both United States and French citizenship, remains noncommittal.

As reported earlier in the day, LeBron James is trying to round up a number of All-Stars for the Olympics.

We have more World Cup-related info:

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led Canada to a bronze medal, believes the World Cup experience will have a positive impact on the upcoming NBA season, according to George Efkarpides of Eurohoops.net. “I think this whole tournament will help me be ready for the next season,” he said. “I’ll be in shape, I’ve played basketball, so it won’t be as much of an adjustment next season.”
Team Canada’s coach, Jordi Fernandez, hopes the roster assembled for the World Cup returns for the Olympics, Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.net writes. We have a great program and we will decide about the Olympic roster when this time comes. But they made this happen, those guys have the number one ticket. We will hold on to those guys,” Fernandez said.
Latvia had a strong run in the World Cup and Thunder forward Davis Bertans hopes it becomes a turning point for his country’s basketball program, he told Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops.net. “Hopefully, that inspires the kids back home,” he said. “There are a lot bunch of videos back home where instead of studying the kids were watching our games. Probably a better lesson than the one they could learn in school. It’s an unbelievable feeling.”

Sixers Sign David Duke To Exhibit 10 Contract

September 11th, 2023 at 2:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

SEPTEMBER 11: Duke’s Exhibit 10 contract is now official, the 76ers announced.

SEPTEMBER 5: Free agent guard David Duke is signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the Sixers, Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets.

Duke became an unrestricted free agent this summer when the Nets declined to give him a qualifying offer.

The Sixers had 18 players on their roster, so even with Duke joining them in camp they can still add two more players. They have just 13 players on fully guaranteed salaries, so it’s conceivable Duke could earn a spot on the 15-man roster.

Duke first joined Brooklyn on a two-way deal after going undrafted out of Providence in 2021. He returned to the Nets on another two-way contract for the 2022/23 season, then received a standard deal in April.

Duke averaged 3.7 PPG, 1.3 RPG and 0.9 APG in 23 games with the Nets last season. In 22 games for Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, Duke averaged 22.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 3.8 APG, and 1.9 SPG and was named to the All-NBA G League First Team.

Under the terms of an Exhibit 10 contract, if Duke is waived and then spends at least 60 days with Philadelphia’s G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, he’d be in line for a bonus worth up to $75K.

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