Insider Says James Harden Won't be Traded to Suns Rival
The Phoenix Suns have added stars such as Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal since the beginning of last season, hoping to build a formidable roster that will capture a franchise first NBA title.
The Western Conference is incredibly tough as the reigning champion Denver Nuggets look to defend their title against several other star-led teams.
The Pacific division rival Los Angeles Clippers - already possessing stars such as Kawhi Leonard and Paul George - were rumored to be a potential destination for Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden, who has made desires of leaving very clear.
On a recent episode of the Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst shot those rumors down.
"They tried to trade for James Harden, and that deal didn't happen, and from what I understand, it was the Clippers who said, 'Ok, there's no deal here, and we're going to move on,'" Windhorst said (h/t Basketball Network).
The Clippers have done their best to assemble different pieces to their puzzle with no success on their end. The furthest they've gone was the 2021 Western Conference Finals before Phoenix defeated them in five games.
The Golden State Warriors believe they reloaded with the addition of Chris Paul while the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings kept their core together in hopes of seeing similar success for 2023-24.
All five teams in the Pacific made the postseason.
Harden was once a rumored possibility for the Suns before they acquired Beal over the summer. Phoenix also reportedly tried to acquire Kyrie Irving at the trade deadline.
