Report: James Harden tells Rockets he's open to trade to 76ers, other contenders

Houston Rockets' James Harden (13) drives toward the basket as Boston Celtics' Kemba Walker defends. (David J. Phillip/AP)

James Harden has reportedly expanded the list of teams he's open to being traded to, with the Philadelphia 76ers and other contending teams making the cut, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon.

Harden, who reported to training camp on Tuesday after a delayed arrival, had previously indicated he would be open to a trade to the Brooklyn Nets, where he would join former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to form a fresh Big 3.

But the Rockets have made it clear that if they are to deal Harden, they will want a king's ransom in return, including a young star player as well as multiple future draft picks and swaps. The precedent for such a haul has been forged not just by blockbuster deals for superstars past, but also the recent Jrue Holiday trade, which saw the Milwaukee Bucks give up an exorbitant amount of assets for a player who has been a lifelong fringe all-star.

Unfortunately for the Nets, they do not have a young star to focus a package around, and they are dead set on retaining Durant and Irving. And while making a trade for a top-10 player like Harden is, in most respects, a no-brainer move, Brooklyn will surely be hesitant about giving up the farm following the disastrous deal for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in 2013, one of the most calamitous trades in league history.

Unlike most other teams in the league who could vie for Harden, the 76ers actually do have a young star to fabricate a package around in Ben Simmons, and they also have draft compensation that could be thrown into any given deal.

However, Philadelphia's new president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey (the Rockets' general manager up until this past off-season), has been adamant about keeping both Simmons and star big man Joel Embiid as the franchise's cornerstones. Per Wojnarowski and MacMahon, the two sides haven't had any "substantive talks."

Harden will also be able to opt out of his contract (he is making just over $41 million this season) after the 2021-22 season — another reason for attracted teams whom the 31-year-old has stated no interest in to be nervous.

Houston maintains that they will not be rushed into trading Harden, regardless of how uncomfortable the situation gets, and are more than willing to enter the season with him on the roster.

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