James Harden Wants to Play With Clippers, per Report

After a year-and-a-half with the 76ers, James Harden appears ready to move on from Philadelphia as he requested a trade while opting into his player option ahead of free agency. As the Sixers assess the trade market, the Clippers have emerged as the favorite for the point guard, and the feelings between Los Angeles and Harden are reportedly mutual.

According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, Harden is interested in playing for the Clippers, and there is “strong optimism” from his camp that a deal will get done. The point guard, who grew up in Los Angeles, is reportedly upset with how Philadelphia handled contract negotiations, and instead wants to join Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the Clippers.

For a while, it appeared that Harden was going to test free agency, whether that meant re-signing with the Sixers or re-joining the Rockets. However, Philadelphia seemed non-committal on a long-term deal, while Amick reports Houston’s opinion changed after they hired head coach Ime Udoka.

Therefore, Los Angeles has entered as Harden’s most-likely landing spot, as both Leonard and George are reportedly on board with the move. By opting in, Harden will make $35.6 million next year on a one-year contract instead of looking for a longer-term deal in free agency. Los Angeles already has Leonard and George on the books for just over $45 million each, so the Clippers could form an expensive big three for at least a year.