76ers deal Harden to Clippers

Published 3:37 am Tuesday, October 31, 2023

PHILADELPHIA — James Harden someone else’s headache.

Again.

The Philadephia 76ers traded the disgruntled 10-time NBA All-Star guard and former league MCP to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday along with P.J. Tucker in return for Marcus Morris, Nic Batum, Robert Covington, Kenyon Martin Jr. and draft picks.

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Harden, 34, has not played in any games this fall and reportedly he was stopped by security from boarding the team’s plane for their two-game season-opneing road trip last week.

The NBA had opened an investigation into his absence only to see Harden return to the team’s bench for their home opener on Sunday. He was scheduled to practice with the team on Tuesday and make his season debut on Thursday.

On the eve of free agency, Harden exercised his $35.6 million option for the  2023-24 season and then promptly asked for a trade from the 76ers, preferably to the Clippers.

The NBA fined Harden $100,000 for “indicating that he would not perform the services called for under his player contract unless traded to another team.” It remains unclear whether the deceit to which Harden was referring alluded to a lucrative contract extension that never materialized or his lingering trade request.