Report: James Harden Hesitant to Admit He's Pushing for Sixers Trade

When reports surfaced mentioning that the Brooklyn Nets are suddenly open to talking shop with the Philadelphia 76ers on a potential James Harden-Ben Simmons swap, it was unclear if Harden actually wanted out of Brooklyn.

Sure, the star guard admitted he was frustrated and hinted that his future in Brooklyn is in question, but he never publicly stated he wanted to land somewhere else as he did when he was with the Houston Rockets last year.

There were plenty of signs indicating that Harden was unhappy but willing to stick around and try to see things through the rest of the season with the Nets. As the trade deadline nears, though, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Right now, the Sixers are engaging in trade talks with the Nets, but nothing is imminent. The Nets want a lot from Philly to part ways with Harden on Thursday, as expected. The Sixers are hesitant to sell the farm for the star, to no surprise.

Trade talks could become more meaningful if Harden really applies the pressure and clarifies that he not only intends to leave Brooklyn in the offseason -- but he no longer wants to continue playing for the Nets.

However, Harden is hesitant to do so in fear of garnering public backlash, according to ESPN's NBA Insider, Adrian Wojnarowski.

Where's Harden's Head At?

"Although Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden wants a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers, he has resisted making that formal request out of fear of the public backlash that would come with asking out of a second franchise in consecutive seasons, sources told ESPN.

"Harden is hopeful that 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey secures a trade for him prior to Thursday's 3 p.m. ET NBA trade deadline, but Morey and Nets general manager Sean Marks have yet to become engaged in serious dialogue on a deal, sources said."

The Sixers and the Nets have enough time to get a deal done on Thursday, but it seems the situation will come down to the wire.

If the Sixers can't land Harden on Thursday, all hope isn't lost for their year-plus-long pursuit of the superstar guard. Per Wojnarowski, the Sixers and the Nets could re-engage in trade discussions in the offseason to work out a sign-and-trade.

While landing Harden sooner than later is certainly the best-case scenario for the Sixers, who are one piece away from championship contention, the Nets have several reasons why they shouldn't do the deal. Therefore, their hesitance isn't shocking.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.