Posted on: July 1, 2023, 11:05h. 

Final up to date on: July 1, 2023, 11:31h.

The Philadelphia 76ers and guard James Harden are headed for a divorce. The Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks are among the many betting favorites to land Harden in a commerce from the 76ers, with the Clippers at -250 odds and the Knicks at +650.

Harden turns 34-years outdated in August. He averaged 21 factors, 10.7 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per recreation final season with the 76ers. He scaled again his scoring and led the league in assists whereas he took on the position of playmaker who arrange is teammates. Though Harden solely averaged seven 3-point makes an attempt per recreation this season, he knocked down 38.5% of his 3-pointers, which was the second-best proportion of his profession and his greatest clip in a decade.

A number of groups are within the operating for Harden’s providers in accordance with a prop wager from DraftKings. The Clippers are the outright favourite to safe Harden in a commerce at -250 odds. The 76ers are +380 odds to retain Harden for the beginning of the season, however they may nonetheless doubtlessly deal him later within the season.

The Knicks are third on the betting board at +650 odds so as to add Harden in a commerce, adopted by the Miami Warmth at +800, Dallas Mavericks (+1200), Rockets (++1600), Los Angeles Lakers (+2000), Phoenix Suns (+2500), New Orleans Pelicans (+4000), Minnesota Timberwolves (+4000), Milwaukee Bucks (+5000), Portland Path Blazers (+5000), and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder (+5000).

Quickie Divorce Between the 76ers and Harden

The 76ers (54-28) secured the #3 seed within the Jap Convention Playoffs, however had one other disappointing postseason exit after they had been eradicated by the Boston Celtics within the convention semifinals. The workforce parted methods with head coach Doc Rivers, and employed Nick Nurse.

Free company formally began on Friday, however all indicators final weekend advised that Harden would discover free company and signal with one other workforce as a substitute of opting in for a remaining 12 months of his contract. The Houston Rockets, one in all Harden’s former groups, emerged as betting favorites so as to add Harden in free company.

Earlier this week, The Athletic reported that Harden wouldn’t discover free company and he would train a participant choice for the 2023-24 season price $35.6 million. The 76ers mentioned they’d discover commerce choices and discipline affords for Harden, and Harden indicated that he’d want to affix the Clippers.

When oddsmakers opened the NBA futures markets for subsequent season in early June, the 76ers had been +1300 odds to win the 2023-24 NBA championship. The 76ers are at the moment +1500 odds amidst all of the Harden drama.

The Beard Goes to Hollywood: Clippers -250

The Athletic floated a Harden commerce situation to the Clippers in a latest article. The 76ers would ship Harden and ahead Tobias Harris to the Clippers in change for guard Paul George, sixth man Norman Powell, and ahead Marcus Morris.

The Clippers have been delicate procuring George within the media during the last two weeks. A number of rumors advised the Clippers would commerce George to the Knicks, however the native media within the Massive Apple rapidly dispelled these rumors. Nevertheless, within the final 24 hours, a swap for Harden and George has been gaining momentum.

Harden Returns to NYC: Knicks +650

The Knicks are sometimes talked about in high-profile commerce rumors, however they seldom come to fruition like the ever-present Damian Lillard commerce rumor that gained’t die down.

Throughout the 2023 playoffs, a number of speaking heads had been calling for the Knicks to commerce ahead Julius Randle. When the postseason ended, rumors surfaced that the Knicks had been buying and selling Randle to the Minnesota Timberwolves for large man Karl-Anthony Cities or sending Randle to the New Orleans Pelicans in change for ahead Brandon Ingram.

Shortly after the 76ers fired Rivers, airwaves had been crammed with commerce chatter involving the Knicks and middle Joel Embiid.

Harden compelled a commerce out from the Brooklyn Nets in 2022, however may he return to Gotham to play for the Knicks? Followers within the tri-state space have blended emotions about Harden returning to New York Metropolis. If the Knicks work out a commerce with the 76ers, then Embiid is the popular goal and never Harden.

Any commerce package deal for Harden would entail the Knicks dealing swingman RJ Barrett, sixth man Josh Hart, backup level guard Immanuel Rapidly and a first-round draft choose.

South Seashore Harden: Warmth +800

The Miami Warmth secured the #8 playoff seed by means of the play-in match, however then obtained scorching within the playoffs and ran the desk to win the Jap Convention title. They ran out of gasoline within the NBA Finals, however lacked the fireplace energy to maintain up with Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and the Denver Nuggets.

The Warmth have had the hots for Bradley Beal for a few seasons, however they had been unable to work out a commerce. The Washington Wizards dealt Beal to the Phoenix Suns in an surprising commerce, which despatched ripples by means of the NBA. The Suns dealt level guard Chris Paul to the Wizards within the Beal commerce, however the Wizards rapidly flipped Paul to the Golden State Warriors.

Within the meantime, the Warmth shifted their concentrate on including Damian Lillard in a commerce with the Portland Path Blazers. Earlier this week, the Path Blazers shot down the Warmth’s greatest commerce provide, however the Warmth usually are not going to surrender so simply.

Though the Lillard commerce talks cooled down, however the Warmth may make a pitch for Harden in a deal that features ahead Caleb Martin, a pair of first-round picks, and both level guard Kyle Lowry or capturing guard Tyler Herro.

The Warmth want assist in their backcourt. They already misplaced guards Gabe Vincent and Max Strus in free company, and traded Victor Oladipo to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder within the final 24 hours.

Rip Metropolis Harden: Path Blazers +5000

The Portland Path Blazers gained one NBA championship through the 1976-77 season, after they had been led by a bearded hippie named Invoice Walton. The Path Blazers haven’t gained a title in 46 years, regardless of a pair of NBA Finals appearances within the early Nineties. Might one other bearded NBA star lastly lead the Path Blazers again to the promised land?

The Path Blazers acknowledged their intentions to construct a championship squad round Damian Lillard. They didn’t commerce the #3 choose within the 2023 NBA Draft regardless of quite a few affords from groups in search of to maneuver up within the draft. They retained their lottery choose and chosen guard Scoot Henderson as a substitute.

If the 76ers commerce Harden to the Pacific Northwest, then the Path Blazers can type a Lillard/Harden backcourt. If that occurs, the Path Blazers must ship recently-drafted Henderson and both of their prime up-and-coming guards Anfernee Simons or Shaedon Sharpe to the 76ers.

Nevertheless, on Saturday morning, Shams Charania reported that Lillard formally requested a commerce and that the Warmth and 76ers are main candidates to land the seven-time NBA All-Star. The 76ers and Path Blazers are at the moment discussing a swap for Harden and Lillard.