As the Los Angeles Clippers sit near the bottom of the Western Conference standings, rival teams are keeping an eye on James Harden’s status leading up to the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
Per NBA insider Jake Fischer, opposing clubs have started to “whisper” that they expect Harden will become available even though the Clippers are currently saying they don’t want to trade him.
There are some complicating factors beyond the Clippers’ stance that could make a Harden trade difficult to pull off. His contract includes a $42.3 million player option for next season, but only $13.3 million of that is guaranteed until July 11.
According to Fischer, Harden could request that any team looking to acquire him provide some assurances that he receives the full $42.3 million if he were to opt-in. He might also try to get a “feel for a prospective new team’s willingness to sign him to a contract extension” if a deal were to happen.
In a season where almost nothing has gone right for the Clippers, Harden has been a bright spot for the organization. He is averaging 26.3 points on 44.1 percent shooting (37.2 percent from three), 8.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in 28 starts.
Harden is on pace to have his highest scoring season since 2019-20 when he led the NBA with an average of 34.3 points for the Houston Rockets.
The Clippers are in a brutal position leading up to the trade deadline. They are 9-21 entering Saturday with the oldest roster in the NBA and no real franchise building blocks to set up whatever their next great era could be.
Adding to the problems is they don’t control their first-round draft pick until 2030, with their 2026 selection owed to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Harden’s age and contract status might make it difficult for the Clippers to get significant value for him in a trade, but they are in such a dire spot that anything to help their long-term future might be worth making a move.