James Harden Reportedly Wants Out Of Los Angeles

James Harden’s time with the Los Angeles Clippers may be coming to an end. The 11-time All-Star wants out, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

“He wants to be somewhere he will be for multiple years,” Charania said Tuesday morning. “That was not promised to him in LA He wants to compete for a championship.”

At the top of his list of desirable destinations is the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are reportedly angling for a straight swap for Darius Garland.

The 36-year-old has missed the past two games for personal reasons, including Sunday’s game in Phoenix, despite owning a home in that very city.

Clippers head coach Ty Lue was just as clueless when asked about his whereabouts, only telling ESPN, “I just know he was home in Phoenix and just personal reasons, so I’m not sure.”

Coach Lue sidestepped trade questions but says that Harden “means a lot” to the team, and when asked if he hoped Harden would stay with them beyond the trade deadline, he said, “Who wouldn’t want to have James Harden?”

Now, if the Clippers really wanted to ship him off, it’s not as easy as finding a trade package that suits them. 

Thanks to the CBA, Harden can veto any trade. That extension he signed ahead of the 2024 season added two years to his contract, including a player option with a no-trade clause.

If a trade with the Cavs looks enticing, it’s unclear which team will get some draft picks or fringe players to make things fair. The Clippers are still trying to recover from a 6-21 start to the season, but have managed to fight back from the depths of the Western Conference standings to a current 23-26 record.

The Cavs are in a very different situation with Darius Garland, who is a decade younger than Harden, and paired with Donovan Mitchell.

Sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference, the team has won eight of its last 10 games, but that’s without Garland, who has only played 26 games this season, as he deals with a serious toe sprain. 

Harden has a well-documented history of forcing his way out of town. First, in 2021, he showed up out of shape in Houston; a year later, in Brooklyn. Then came Philadelphia, where he called Daryl Morey a liar, so he could end up on the Clippers with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

Leonard spoke about the rumored trade, saying, “It’s a surprise… I respect his decision… or whoever’s decision it is. That’s still gonna be my boy. Trust the front office.”

See social media’s reaction to Harden possibly forcing another trade below.