James Harden

Eastern Notes: Simmons, Ntilikina, Middleton, Harden, Dick

October 19th, 2023 at 10:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ben Simmons continues to brim with confidence during training camp. The Nets guard said he’ll be even better than what he showed early in his career, when he was named to the All-Star team three times.

“I’m going to be better than I was,” Simmons told Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “My job is just to show up, perform, work my ass off and lead this team the right way. So it’s doing all the little things, and everything else takes care of itself.”

We’ve got more from the Eastern Conference:

Hornets guard Frank Ntilikina departed their preseason game on Thursday with a hyperextended left knee, the team’s PR department tweets. Ntilikina’s $2,528,233 minimum salary won’t be fully guaranteed until January 10. He signed a one-year deal in August.
Khris Middleton hasn’t played in the preseason but that appears likely to change on Friday. The Bucks swingman, who has been working his way back from right knee surgery, says he’s good to go for the preseason finale, according to Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “As of right now, I definitely feel like I’ll be out there playing tomorrow,” Middleton said. “Don’t know how long, how many minutes, but I do expect to be playing, which is exciting for me.”
James Harden missed practice for a second straight day on Thursday but coach Nick Nurse said it didn’t distract his Sixers teammates. “I think the organization has made it clear what’s going on,” Nurse told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “They are working on stuff, as we say, day by day. We had a really good practice today. Very energetic, the guys that were here. And that’s what we are focused on.” Nurse said it’s “unlikely” Harden will play in the preseason finale on Friday even if he returns to the team by then.
Gradey Dick may be a fan favorite but he’s unlikely to be in the Raptors’ rotation early in the season, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. The first-round pick requires “a lot of patience and time,” coach Darko Rajakovic said. “He’s got to slow down himself before the game slows down for him,” Rajakovic added.

Sixers’ James Harden Misses Practice Again Thursday

October 19th, 2023 at 11:40am CST by Rory Maher

Sixers guard James Harden missed practice for the second consecutive day on Thursday, a source tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

A team spokesperson said Harden is “away from the team due to a personal matter,” tweets Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports.

Harden has reportedly been in Houston since Philadelphia’s practice on Sunday and is frustrated that he hasn’t been traded to the Clippers. The former league MVP requested a trade to Los Angeles after picking up his $35.6MM player option this summer.

Harden told reporters last week that he didn’t see a path to reconciliation with Philadelphia. He previously called president of basketball operations Daryl Morey a “liar” and that he would “never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of.”

Sam Amick of The Athletic reported yesterday evening that the Clippers and Sixers remain at an impasse in trade talks, despite more conversations in recent days. L.A. doesn’t want to bid against itself and has been unwilling to include Terance Mann in a deal, according to Amick.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Tuesday that even though Harden has been professional when he’s been around the team, he hasn’t attended any of the 76ers’ preseason games, skipped at least one shootaround, and has only participated in one five-on-five scrimmage (on October 7) since rejoining the club. The 34-year-old was also absent for media day at the beginning of the month and missed the first day of training camp as well.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN noted on Wednesday (Twitter link), the fine for missing a practice is modest (starting at $2,500), but if Harden skips a game without the team’s consent, he could face fines of $389K per contest. It’s unclear if the missed practices the past couple days will be excused by the Sixers now that the team is saying Harden is attending to a personal matter.

For example, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN stated on Wednesday (video link) that Harden’s absence is the latest step in his desire to create an uncomfortable situation for the Sixers until he’s traded.

“Somebody close to him told me this is only the beginning of what he plans to do here,” Shelburne said.

Clippers Still Won’t Include Terance Mann In James Harden Trade

October 18th, 2023 at 8:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers‘ refusal to part with Terance Mann continues to be the main obstacle to a potential trade involving Sixers guard James Harden, reports Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Two people involved in the negotiations tell Amick that the teams talked again on Monday, with Philadelphia offering to give up Harden in exchange for Mann, an unprotected first-round pick, a first-round pick swap and other players to match Harden’s salary. However, Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank refused to make Mann available, which has been the team’s position since trade talks began.

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said Frank was being “unserious,” according to Amick’s sources, and sarcastically suggested the Clippers should offer Paul George if they’re so determined to hold onto their lesser assets. Frank quickly dismissed the idea of parting with George.

Amick notes that the exchange leaves negotiations at the same impasse where they began when Harden made his trade demand in late June. The Sixers don’t have any traction on a deal with L.A. or anyone else as the start of the season looms next week.

Harden showed his displeasure with the situation by skipping Wednesday’s practice and has been away from the team since Sunday. A report earlier today said management plans to give him a chance to explain his absence before imposing any fines, which would start at $2,500 for a missed practice and could reach $389K for each missed game.

Harden is communicating with the Sixers through general manager Elton Brand, according to Amick. Harden remains angry at Morey over the way his contract was handled, and it’s not clear what his intentions are regarding the October 26 season opener.

The Sixers believe Harden’s anger should be directed at the Clippers, Amick adds. The position of Philadelphia’s front office is that Harden could have the trade he wants if L.A. would include Mann, and the Sixers would be left with enough assets to pursue a high-level player who could replace Harden and keep the team in title contention.

Sources tell Amick that Philadelphia already has trades lined up that would fetch a first-round pick in exchange for Mann. That pick would be used as part of a package to acquire another star later in the season. The Sixers see that as an equitable outcome considering the otherwise limited return they would be getting in exchange for Harden, according to Amick.

However, Harden believes L.A. has already made a reasonable offer and Morey is “moving the goalposts,” Amick adds. The Clippers have offered two first-round picks, but Morey isn’t satisfied with their quality because they have protections and could eventually turn into second-rounders if they don’t convey by a certain date.

Harden’s absence is the latest step in his desire to create an uncomfortable situation for the Sixers until he’s traded, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN stated in an appearance on NBA Today (video link).

“Somebody close to him told me this is only the beginning of what he plans to do here,” Shelburne said.

James Harden Not At Sixers’ Wednesday Practice

October 18th, 2023 at 10:58am CST by Luke Adams

10:58am: Harden has been in Houston since traveling there after the Sixers’ practice on Sunday, a league source tells Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

The team plans to give him a chance to explain his unexcused absence from today’s practice before making a decision on potential discipline, tweets Shelburne. As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, the fine for missing a practice is modest (starting at $2,500), but if Harden skips a game without the team’s consent, he could face fines of $389K per contest.

Meanwhile, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN says (via Twitter) that the gap between the Clippers and Sixers in Harden trade talks remains “sizable.”

10:21am: Sixers guard James Harden is a “no-show” at the team’s Wednesday practice, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Charania, Harden hasn’t been with the team since Sunday.

After skipping media day at the start of the month and then missing the first day of training camp, Harden reported to the Sixers and didn’t appear to be making any waves. However, he still wants to be traded after requesting a change of scenery in June and told reporters last week that he didn’t see a path to reconciliation with Philadelphia’s front office.

Charania reported on Tuesday that even though Harden has been professional when he’s been around the team, he hasn’t attended any of the 76ers’ preseason games, skipped at least one shootaround, and has only participated in one five-on-five scrimmage (on October 7) since rejoining the club.

During his media session last Friday, Harden suggested that he still intends to play while he awaits a trade, adding that he might return to the court for the team’s last preseason game. It’s unclear if that’s still the plan or if his mindset has changed in recent days. According to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link), if Harden is going to play in this Friday’s preseason finale, today would have been an important “ramp-up” day.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports wrote on Tuesday that one reason Harden wasn’t making waves in camp was a belief that the Sixers and Clippers weren’t significantly far apart in their trade talks. However, Fischer reported later on Tuesday that there’s still a gap the two teams haven’t been able to bridge and that Harden appears increasingly likely to still be a 76er when the regular season begins.

According to Fischer (Twitter link), Harden is currently in Houston instead of Philadelphia, as he was on media day. He remains frustrated by the lack of progress toward a trade to Los Angeles, per Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (Twitter link).

Pacific Notes: Green, Harden, Clippers, Mann, Suns, Durant

October 17th, 2023 at 10:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors forward Draymond Green, who suffered an ankle sprain in an offseason workout, is making good progress, according to the team’s PR department (Twitter link). Green has been cleared to do light on-court workouts (shooting drills, etc.) and his return to full practices and scrimmages will depend on his continued progress. He’ll be reevaluated again on Sunday.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Despite some promising signs from their current roster in the preseason, a trade for James Harden stills holds appeal for the Clippers, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. He fits the timeline of the team’s other stars and coach Tyronn Lue often prefers having a more traditional point guard who can run an isolation-heavy offense. The Clippers also realize the roster has not undergone enough change after last season’s postseason flameout.
There’s still a good vibe around the Clippers thanks to the improved health of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, Janis Carr of the Orange County Register notes. “Last year, it was tough because we felt we had opportunities to do something special and PG goes down and Kawhi goes down after Game 2 (against the Suns),” Lue said. “You never want to see anyone get injured, but a lot of people said, ‘Oh they’re hurt again,’ or whatever, but the biggest thing is they’re messed up mentally because they want to be out there. Seeing them come back 100 percent and being healthy and just the vibe of our team is totally different.”
Following up an earlier reports on the stalled trade discussions between the Clippers and Sixers, a source told Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer (Twitter link) that Los Angeles remains unwilling to part with Terance Mann or additional draft capital. That makes it increasingly likely Harden will be on the Sixers’ roster at the beginning of the regular season.
The fifth starter for the Suns beyond Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic could vary depending matchups, coach Frank Vogel told Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link) and other media members. Josh Okogie has generally been considered the frontrunner for the starting job.
The Suns’ big three are holding each other to a high standard, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes. “It’s always good to get work in with some of the best players in the world,” Kevin Durant said. “It’s like iron sharpening iron over there. We hold each other to a high standard. So it’s always good to get some of that post-practice work. The more days we stack together, the better.”

Sixers Notes: Harden, Trade Talks, Maxey, Harris

October 17th, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

While James Harden has been on his best behavior when he has been present at practices for the Sixers during training camp and the preseason, he hasn’t exactly been a full participant this fall, Shams Charania said on Stadium’s NBA season preview show (Twitter video link).

According to Charania, Harden has taken part in just one five-on-five scrimmage this month, back on October 7. The former MVP also hasn’t been in attendance for any of the 76ers’ three preseason games and has skipped at least one shootaround.

The Clippers and Sixers have talked more about Harden in the last week, according to Charania, but there’s still no deal imminent between the two teams.

Here are a few more Sixers notes:

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports also checked in on the Harden saga, citing league sources who say that Daryl Morey wants a second first-round pick (in addition to a pick swap and expiring contracts) for Harden. While Fischer doesn’t state it explicitly, it sounds like Philadelphia would want both of those first-round picks to be unprotected. The Clippers haven’t shown a willingness thus far to include more than one first-rounder in their offer for Harden.
According to Fischer, the Clippers value their 2028 first-round pick pretty highly, since Kawhi Leonard‘s and Paul George‘s futures in Los Angeles aren’t locked in, so there’s no guarantee that pick won’t be a high one. They’ve looked around to see if they’d be able to get two first-rounders from another team in exchange for that lone 2028 pick in order to satisfy Philadelphia’s asking price, Fischer says, but that seems like a long shot.
Fischer suggests one reason Harden has been so professional in his return following a brief holdout is a belief that the gap between the Sixers and Clippers isn’t significant and that the two teams will be able to work something out. It’s unclear whether or not there’s an “undetermined deadline” when Harden might get impatient and start trying to force the issue more proactively, Fischer adds.
Tyrese Maxey understands “the business aspect” of the Sixers deciding to hold off on a rookie scale extension and isn’t concerned about reaching restricted free agency next July, he tells Fischer. Philadelphia is putting off Maxey’s next deal in order to maximize its 2024 cap room. “I just look at it as I’m gonna go out there and still play,” Maxey said. “I’m still on the 76ers. I love it here and I want to help us win. And at the end of the day, that’s my contract and that’s what I’ll fulfill. I love Philly. And we’ll see what happens.”
In a conversation with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Sixers forward Tobias Harris spoke about how he’ll fit into Nick Nurse‘s system, his mindset entering a contract year, and his expectations for the team this season, among other topics.

Atlantic Notes: Van Gundy, Knicks, Robinson, Harden, Nets

October 15th, 2023 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

Current Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau worked in New York as an assistant on Jeff Van Gundy‘s staff from 1996-2001. Over two decades later, Van Gundy has been hired as a senior consultant by the division-rival Celtics.

Asked on Saturday about Van Gundy joining the Celtics, Thibodeau joked that it was “disgusting,” writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Thibodeau was also asked if the Knicks had offered Van Gundy a similar role and hinted that Boston was a better fit for his former boss and longtime friend.

“Obviously, he’s had a lot of opportunities to do a lot of things. We’re very close friends, obviously,” Thibodeau said. “So, I’m happy for him because there are certain things that he’s looking for and I think he was able to find them there. He’s not only a great coach. He’s a great person. So, whatever is next for him, I know he’ll be great at it. But I just want him to be happy and I think he will be.”

Let’s round up a few more items from around the Atlantic…

As Steve Popper of Newsday (subscription required) relays, center Mitchell Robinson was pleased to hear that he one of six Knicks to make ESPN’s annual list of the NBA’s top 100 players — even if he came in at the very bottom of that list, at No. 100. Thibodeau suggested on Saturday that people sometimes “overlook” what Robinson does on the court. “I think he brings great value to the team because of offensive rebounding, the pressure on the rim, the screening,” Thibodeau said. “Those things are huge for our offense. When you understand the value of shots, the kick-out threes, getting to the free-throw line, getting to the bonus early each quarter, those are things that help you win.”
In his latest look at James Harden‘s standoff with the Sixers, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required) says the star guard is “ramping up” to play in the team’s preseason finale, and adds that the Clippers have shown no inclination to improve their trade offer of a first-round pick, a pick swap, and expiring contracts. The 76ers want guard Terance Mann in a Harden package, but a source tells Pompey that Daryl Morey knows Mann is “untouchable.”
With Dennis Smith Jr. sidelined for at least the next week due to a sprained ankle, Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn will have more opportunities to evaluate his other point guards – Ben Simmons and Spencer Dinwiddie – playing “together and separately,” he noted on Saturday. “I think Spencer has the ability to space the floor for us and shoot threes,” Vaughn said, per Peter Botte of The New York Post. “And so that is a weapon for us that we want to use. Those two on the floor, though, either one can get an outlet and push the ball up the floor. [Dinwiddie] has the ability to be a lead guard, also. So I’ll continue to play around with that.”

Atlantic Notes: Simmons, Clowney, Harden, T. Young

October 14th, 2023 at 6:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Nets guard Ben Simmons is showing signs of the player he used to be, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Simmons provided updates throughout the summer, saying he was fully recovered from the knee and back injuries that ended his 2022/23 season and was ready to prove himself again. He has looked sharp through two preseason games, as Lewis observes that his quickness and passing touch have returned and he’s displaying good form on his mid-range jump shots.

“I’m still fast, I still jump high (and) I’m still strong,” Simmons said. “I’ve had to adapt to the game, but I think my (basketball) IQ and the way I play the game, I’m able to affect the game in multiple ways, (even) without the athleticism that, at the end of the day, I got back. I looked OK. I’m getting better.”

A return to form by Simmons would be a best-case scenario for Brooklyn, which owes him $77MM over the next two years. Simmons understands that he’ll always have skeptics, but he’s enjoying the feeling of being able to get back on the court again.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “It feels really good. I’m not really one to talk too much to the media when it’s not needed, so it’s fun to just come out here, play my game and let everyone else do the talking.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Nets rookie Noah Clowney looked overmatched at times during Summer League, but he has shown growth in his game so far in the preseason, Lewis adds in a separate story (subscription required). At 19, Clowney is one of the league’s five youngest players, but he’s already added 10 pounds of muscle as the team works to bulk him up so he can defend in the post. “The goal is just to keep getting better,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of tools that I can polish up and I can really utilize. That’s been the offseason and training camp (mission), and we’re trying to figure out how we’re going to play as a team, just trying to put it all together.”
As his battle with Sixers management continues, James Harden didn’t play in the team’s Blue and White scrimmage and wasn’t introduced to the crowd, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Heading into his 17th NBA season Thaddeus Young has provided perspective to help the Raptors deal with their offseason coaching change, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Management wanted a clean start after last season’s disappointing 41-41 finish, so it replaced all the coaches and much of the team’s support staff. Young, who fell out of Nurse’s rotation last season, said he believes he can still contribute at age 35.

Harden: I Wanted To Retire A Sixer But Lost Trust In Front Office

October 13th, 2023 at 1:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters on Friday for the first time since reporting to training camp, Sixers guard James Harden offered an emphatic “no” when asked if he believes his relationship with the front office and the franchise can still be repaired (Twitter video link via PHLY Sports).

“This is not even about this situation, this is in life,” Harden said when asked to explain why he didn’t see a path to reconciliation. “When you lose trust in someone, it’s like a marriage. You lose trust in someone, you know what I mean? It’s pretty simple.”

While Harden hasn’t been shy about specifically calling out Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey since requesting a trade in June, he didn’t do so during today’s brief media session. He did, however, allude to having his trust betrayed by people that he’d “known for over a decade,” which appeared to be a reference to Morey (Twitter video link via Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports).

“When I got traded here, my whole thing was, I wanted to retire a Sixer,” Harden said. “I wanted to be here and retire a Sixer. And the front office didn’t have that in their future plans.”

As has been reported throughout the offseason, Harden reportedly expected to receive a lucrative multiyear offer from the 76ers in free agency this summer, but when he got no assurances that such an offer was coming, he opted to go in a different direction, picking up his player option and asking for a trade.

Based on Harden’s comments today, it’s clear he won’t be rescinding his trade request anytime soon. However, the former MVP also doesn’t seem inclined to hold out again after skipping media day and showing up a day late to training camp.

Harden has yet to play a preseason game, but said today that he’s still ramping up and plans to play in the Sixers’ preseason finale and beyond, according to Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia (Twitter link).

We passed along a couple updates on the Sixers’ Harden trade talks with the Clippers earlier this week.

Sixers Notes: Harden, Green, Oubre, Korkmaz

October 13th, 2023 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on NBA Today on Thursday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski expressed a belief that the James Harden saga may continue to be “slow-going, well into the season” (Twitter video link).

As Wojnarowski explains, if the Sixers are going to trade Harden to the Clippers, they want to be able to quickly flip the assets they get from L.A. – and perhaps one or two of their own pieces – for an “All-Star level guard” who would replace Harden in their lineup. But that kind of player is unlikely to become available until closer to the trade deadline.

“The problem for this time of the year is who is that player – or players – out there that are available in the preseason, in training camp?” Wojnarowski said. “Those kind of players, they emerge as you get deeper into the season (and) teams start to maybe look at going in a different direction. Maybe they’re not going to re-sign a veteran player, they want to move off of him.

“The asking price this time of year for the players you might like to get to replace James Harden is going to be really high. So there’s not great motivation in Philadelphia necessarily to think that a deal with the Clippers now gets them the best value they can, the best player who might be available later in the year.”

As Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire relays, Wojnarowski also said that the Clippers continue to engage other teams to gauge the trade value of their 2028 first-round pick – and possibly a first-round pick swap for another year – to see if they’ll be able to acquire different assets that would appeal more to Daryl Morey and the 76ers. The expectation is that they’ll soon take some of those potential scenarios back to Philadelphia.

Here’s more on the Sixers:

Danny Green could have decided to retire when he tore his ACL and LCL in May 2022, a month before he turned 35 years old. But he was determined not to let his career end that way, and now finds himself fighting for a roster spot in Philadelphia on a non-guaranteed contract this fall. “I didn’t do all that rehab for no reason,” Green said, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, adding that he believes he can still provide value as a three-and-D player and veteran leader: “I don’t want to be somewhere that they’re doing me a favor. I want to be a part of something that needs me. … If [the Sixers] feel that I can help them, then they’ll keep me along. I’m here to do my job and do it efficiently. I can still do that, and they think that I can. They think that I can help this group. And I believe that I can.”
Speaking to Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer, new Sixers forward Kelly Oubre said he has had to “kill my ego” and “find who I am deep down inside” over the last couple years, which is one reason why he was comfortable accepting a minimum-salary contract after averaging 20-plus points per game last season. “I didn’t care about the money,” Oubre said. “I know what I’m worth and I know what I deserve. But if I have to protect my peace and my soul over the money, I’m going to do that any day of the week.”
Sixers guard Furkan Korkmaz continues to be affected by a hamstring strain, according to Pompey (Twitter links). Korkmaz has missed both of the team’s preseason games so far and didn’t take part in practice on Thursday.

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