James Harden is working with the Los Angeles Clippers to discover a commerce earlier than Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline, in accordance with ESPN. The 2 sides are aligned and dealing with groups, doubtlessly organising the 11-time All-Star and 2018 NBA MVP to play for his sixth NBA workforce within the very close to future.

Harden has had a stellar 12 months all issues thought-about. He is averaging round 25 factors and eight assists per sport, sustaining the All-Star-caliber efficiency he gave the Clippers final season. The one drawback has been that the Clippers merely have not been nearly as good as a workforce as they had been a 12 months in the past. They’ve since fought again into the postseason image after their 6-21 begin, however that gap was so deep that the Clippers doubtless do not have a practical probability of constructing a deep playoff run within the Western Convention.

Harden, maybe essentially the most completed participant within the NBA to not have a championship ring, doubtless desires to go someplace that he feels would give him an opportunity to compete within the twilight of his profession. Harden has the fitting to veto any commerce, so he will be choosy about his subsequent residence. So let’s go over three attainable locations for Harden because the Clippers sift via attainable offers.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Sports activities Illustrated reported Monday that the Clippers and Cavaliers have had superior discussions on a James Harden-for-Darius Garland swap. On the floor, the deal makes little or no sense for the Cavaliers. Harden is 10 years Garland’s senior. Although not fairly as outlandish, the apparent comparability can be to Dallas buying and selling Luka Dončić a season in the past for Anthony Davis, who’s six years older than him.

The extra you concentrate on this one, the extra sense it seemingly makes. Garland has been pretty damage susceptible all through his profession. He performed 70 video games for the primary time final season, after which he proceeded to battle all through the playoffs attributable to a toe damage. That toe damage price him video games early within the season and restricted his effectiveness when he has been accessible. He hasn’t performed since Jan. 14. He’s owed two extra years of max cash and turns into extension-eligible over the summer time. If the Cavaliers do not feel comfy taking part in him, a commerce is inevitable.

However most trades would damage this season’s roster. The Hawks simply needed to commerce Trae Younger in a cap dump. The Cavaliers hope to compete for a championship this season, however the league by and huge is not concerned about small guards. Subsequently, Cleveland’s finest guess for a considerably truthful return would doubtless contain buying and selling Garland for a unique guard. Ja Morant cannot shoot, so he is an absolute nonstarter for Cleveland. LaMelo Ball could have been in rumors earlier within the season, however the Hornets are rolling now. There simply weren’t many choices. Enter Harden.

Whereas Harden clearly is not a long-term play, he’d symbolize an improve over the model of Garland they’ve had this season no less than. He is among the only a few gamers in all of basketball they may commerce Garland for with out making this season’s roster worse. Positive, if Cleveland had acted sooner on Garland, issues is perhaps totally different. However any fantasies of, say, a Trey Murphy commerce have lengthy handed. That is what’s on the desk for Cleveland. The Cavaliers may be capable of commerce Garland for draft compensation, however doing so would absolutely contain taking again unhealthy wage. This commerce carries long-term threat, however within the quick time period, it retains Cleveland within the hunt.

Would Harden, given his Los Angeles roots, be all that completely satisfied in Cleveland? It is laborious to say. It famously labored wonders for J.R. Smith, who thrived as a Cavalier as a result of, in his phrases, “There’s nothing, there is not any going out, there is not any late nights. There’s video video games, basketball and basketball.” Perhaps Harden might equally profit. If he desires to compete for a title, shifting East normally makes that simpler, and the Cavaliers have a championship-ready roster.

Houston Rockets

This would not be the primary time Harden tried to get again to Houston. There have been rumors of a attainable return all through the 2022-23 season, when he was taking part in for the Philadelphia 76ers. The Rockets as an alternative elected to make use of their cap flexibility to signal Fred VanVleet as their level guard, placing Harden in a bind. He had nowhere to go in free company, so he was compelled to choose up his possibility in Philadelphia and pressure a commerce to Los Angeles.

Effectively, issues have modified. VanVleet was nice for Houston, however he tore his ACL earlier than the season. The Rockets misplaced one other key participant in Steven Adams to an ankle damage just lately, giving them $38 million in useless wage burning a gap of their pocket this season. VanVleet has the fitting to veto a commerce, however Los Angeles would doubtless enchantment to him given the presence of former teammate Kawhi Leonard and the clear books the Clippers can use to pay him longer-term in the event that they so select. Harden makes simply over $39 million. Houston struggles to generate half-court offense. That is Harden’s speciality. The Rockets are loaded with defenders to guard him on that finish of the ground. He’d even be reuniting with former teammate Kevin Durant for a second time following their temporary partnership in Brooklyn and longer one in Oklahoma Metropolis.

Houston declined its final probability at Harden. Would the Rockets really feel in another way now? He is hardly a match for Ime Udoka’s defense-first fashion, however they is probably not fairly as choosy with an actual title shot on the road and few in-season choices. Would Houston quit significant draft capital to get this performed? The Clippers aren’t working a charity, in any case. If Garland is on the desk for them, the Rockets must put actual draft worth on the desk to match that.

There are hurdles right here, however you’d think about that if Harden has his alternative, he’d in all probability like to get again to Houston. The Rockets turned the haul they received for him in 2021 right into a full-fledged contender, and now Harden might doubtlessly get again there proper in time for them to completely benefit from the spoils of that rebuild.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota does not have the apparent one-for-one participant to swap with the Clippers that the Cavaliers have, and it does not have the identical nostalgic and logistical enchantment that Houston has. However the Timberwolves have one of many NBA’s most aggressive normal managers in Tim Connelly. If he desires Harden and Harden desires the Timberwolves, he’ll discover a method to make it attainable.

Level guard has been a problem for Minnesota since Mike Conley started to say no. The Wolves have explored lesser gamers like Coby White, however Harden’s playmaking would pair very effectively with Anthony Edwards as a scorer and all the protection and athleticism Minnesota has assembled. Minnesota must ship out one or two of its costly position gamers to make a deal work financially. The best path can be Julius Randle, latest No. 8 choose Rob Dillingham and one minimal wage in change for Harden. That might conveniently go away the Clippers with 16 gamers, forcing them to waive Chris Paul and permit him to attempt to discover a new residence for the remainder of the season.

The main holdup right here, although, is that the Timberwolves are presently pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo. Minnesota will not abandon a 31-year-old two-time MVP for a 36-year-old single MVP winner. So for now, the TImberwolves are in any other case occupied. We’ll see if that adjustments earlier than Thursday’s deadline.