Sixers

Clippers “Pause” James Harden Trade Push, May Revisit Talks Later

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The Clippers are reportedly turning their attention to the start of the NBA season instead of continuing to go after James Harden. At least, that’s what sources have told ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski. “I’m told that, with the start of the season now, at least for the foreseeable future, the Clippers are stepping back from these trade talks about James Harden. They are essentially pausing them. They have talked with Philadelphia for months about a trade, they’ve made their best offer for Harden. And they are now gonna start their season and see what this team looks like with a healthy Kawhi Leonard, a healthy Paul George,” Woj said.

However, the Clippers may return to the table later in the year, Woj noted. “Now, the Clippers may revisit this at some point. But they know they’re the only bidder for James Harden, they’re the only team that’s made a serious offer. They don’t wanna bid against themselves, and again, while they may revisit this later in the season, I think the Sixers have to wonder: Have we already gotten the best offer we’re gonna get for James Harden? Especially as the games start to peel off the calendar, if you’re the Clippers, why offer more when there’s fewer and fewer games that James Harden can play for you?”

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Clippers Open Season With Win

Meanwhile, the Clippers showed the league that didn’t need James Harden to be successful. The team opened their season against the new-look Blazers, beating Portland 123-111. Kawhi and PG3 combined for 50 points, with Kawhi going 5-for-5 from beyond the arc. Ivica Zubac also put up 20 points in the win. The Clippers are seen as an outside contender in the West this year, if Kawhi and George can stay healthy.

However, it was a sluggish start for the new era of the Blazers. Scoot Henderson, their #3 pick in this year’s draft, dropped 11 points in his NBA debut. Meanwhile, the newly acquired Deandre Ayton picked up 12 rebounds. However, the team’s scoring output was led by Malcolm Brogdon off the bench. The former Celtic put up 20 points in 23 minutes.

Read More: James Harden To Miss First Two Sixers Games Of The Season

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SOURCE SPORTS: James Harden Returns to Sixers After 10-Day Hiatus

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SOURCE SPORTS: James Harden Tells 76ers to Build Team and Give Him "Whatever is Left" in New Contract

In a breaking development, James Harden has officially returned to the Philadelphia 76ers’ practice facility following a 10-day absence from all team activities, according to Run It Back‘s Shams Charania. This significant return is a promising sign for the team preparing for the season opener.

Harden’s brief hiatus from the 76ers had sparked discussions among fans and analysts alike, leaving many speculating about his future with the team. However, his return to the practice facility suggests that he is committed to the franchise as they gear up for the new season.

The presence of James Harden, a former league MVP and one of the most potent offensive players in the NBA, adds considerable firepower to the 76ers’ roster. However, it is still expected he wants to be traded this season. You can hear more from Charania below.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: James Harden Returns to Sixers After 10-Day Hiatus first appeared on The Source.

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James Harden To Miss First Two Sixers Games Of The Season

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James Harden will miss the first two games of the Sixers season despite returning to practice. The team decision means he will miss road games against Milwaukee and Toronto. However, he could suit up for their home opener against Portland. “He’s been gone for 10 days, so we’re in ramp up phase again. So, like we would normally do, he will stay and get on-court work with our staff and with our players from the Blue Coats [G-League affiliate] and two-way guys and things like that and try to get him ramped up as soon as we can,” head coach Nick Nurse explained Wednesday.

Harden’s appearance at practice Wednesday was the first time in over a week that he’d been with the team. Harden missed practices throughout the back end of last week, with the team reporting that no reason had been given for the absence. However, by the end of the week, the team had stated that Harden was away attending to a personal matter. “He is fine. He understands he’s got to get ramped up. Like I said, he’s been gone for 10 days so he understands it. He wants to get back to playing live, full-court basketball,” Nurse added.

Read More: Ime Udoka Says Fred VanVleet Was A “Better Fit” Than James Harden For Rockets

Harden Back, Relationship With Front Office Still Dead

However, just because Harden is back with the team doesn’t mean that things are peachy in the City of Brotherly Love. Two weeks ago, Harden once again stated that he has no relationship with the Sixers front office and that his dispute with the team can only be resolved via trade. “This is not even about this situation — this is in life. When you lose trust in someone, it’s like a marriage … you lose trust in someone, you know what I mean? It’s pretty simple,” Harden said at his first media appearance since the start of Sixers training camp. “When I got traded here, my whole thing is I wanted to retire a Sixer. I wanted to be here and retire a Sixer. And the front office didn’t have that in their future plans,” Harden added while pointedly refusing to explicitly name President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey.

Harden did, however, express a great deal of respect for Nurse. “Nick is very versatile. He’s a players’ coach. He understands it. I’ve known him a little bit; he was the G League coach in Houston. He’s obviously won a championship. He just sees the game different and I’m a fan of him,” Harden said. Given Nurse’s comments, it appears that the new coach is more than willing to work with Harden, if Harden wants to be worked with.

Read More: Michael Rubin Says James Harden Saga Wouldn’t Have Happened If He Was Still Sixers Owner

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James Harden Returns To Sixers Practice

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James Harden has reportedly returned to Sixers practice after missing several days last week. The news was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski at ESPN. The Sixers fly to Milwaukee later today ahead of their season opener tomorrow. It’s unclear if Harden will be included on the team sheet for that game. Harden missed practices throughout the back end of last week, with the team reporting that no reason had been given for the absence. However, by the end of the week, the team had stated that Harden was away attending to a personal matter.

The missing of practice is something that experts have been surprised hasn’t happened sooner with Harden. The veteran has something of a reputation for being disruptive during offseason activities when he is trying to force a trade. However, it is believed that rumors of renewed discussions between the Sixers and Clippers compelled Harden to put in a few weeks of good behavior.

Read More: Ime Udoka Says Fred VanVleet Was A “Better Fit” Than James Harden For Rockets

Harden’s Status For Opener Unclear

As mentioned, the Sixers start their season in Milwaukee tomorrow, a daunting prospect now that Damian Lillard is on the team. However, it’s unclear what Harden’s role in that game will be. For the Sixers, it’s a choice between whether they want to play hardball. Either they can play him and seemingly acquiesce to his behavior. Or they can ground him and intentionally weaken their already shaky lineup.

As for Harden, he has made it very clear that his relationship with the team front office is beyond repair. “This is not even about this situation — this is in life. When you lose trust in someone, it’s like a marriage … you lose trust in someone, you know what I mean? It’s pretty simple. When I got traded here, my whole thing is I wanted to retire a Sixer. I wanted to be here and retire a Sixer. And the front office didn’t have that in their future plans,” Harden said last week while pointedly refusing to explicitly name President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey.

Read More: Michael Rubin Says James Harden Saga Wouldn’t Have Happened If He Was Still Sixers Owner

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James Harden Misses Another Sixers Practice

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James Harden has missed Sixers practice for the second day in a row. After stating that no reason was given for the first absence, the organization has now said Harden is away from the team due to a personal matter. “I think the organization has made it clear what’s going on. They’re working on stuff, as we say, day by day. We had a really good practice today. Very energetic. The guys that were here, that’s what we’re focused on,” head coach Nick Nurse said when asked about the absence. Furthermore, Nurse said it was “unlikely” that Harden would play in the team’s preseason finale against Atlanta on Friday.

The missing of practice is something that experts have been surprised hasn’t happened sooner with Harden. The veteran has something of a reputation for being disruptive during offseason activities when he is trying to force a trade. However, it is believed that rumors of renewed discussions between the Sixers and Clippers compelled Harden to put in a few weeks of good behavior.

Read More: Ime Udoka Says Fred VanVleet Was A “Better Fit” Than James Harden For Rockets

Harden Says Sixers Relationship Can’t Be Fixed

However, the escalation to skipping practice shouldn’t be all that surprising. Last week, Harden once again stated that he has no relationship with the Sixers front office and that his dispute with the team can only be resolved via trade. “This is not even about this situation — this is in life. When you lose trust in someone, it’s like a marriage … you lose trust in someone, you know what I mean? It’s pretty simple,” Harden said at his first media appearance since the start of Sixers training camp. “When I got traded here, my whole thing is I wanted to retire a Sixer. I wanted to be here and retire a Sixer. And the front office didn’t have that in their future plans,” Harden added while pointedly refusing to explicitly name President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey.

Harden did, however, express a great deal of respect for Nurse. “Nick is very versatile. He’s a players’ coach. He understands it. I’ve known him a little bit; he was the G League coach in Houston. He’s obviously won a championship. He just sees the game different and I’m a fan of him,” Harden said. On the topic of basketball, Harden said he would be playing this year, ruling out the possibility of a holdout. But a week is a long time in sports and it appears that playing basketball may no longer be on the table for Harden, at least in Philadelphia.

Read More: Michael Rubin Says James Harden Saga Wouldn’t Have Happened If He Was Still Sixers Owner

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Joel Embiid And Sketchers Reportedly Close to Deal

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Joel Embiid is reportedly close to landing a sneaker deal with Sketchers. The reigning MVP “is nearing a deal to become Skechers’ star pitchman, industry sources briefed on the talks told The Athletic. A deal has not been signed yet, but Embiid wore a Skechers shoe for the first time during 76ers practice Wednesday. The brand’s performance staff are on site as he begins to test out the sneaker, sources said. Embiid will begin wearing the new Skechers shoe in games once the deal is fully complete, according to a source,” Shams Charania and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic reported.

Embiid was previously contracted to Under Armor. However, the deal was largely torpedoed by the pandemic. Embiid’s signature shoe was announced a month before the world went into lockdown. Furthermore, it failed to see any bounce back after restrictions eased. However, Sketchers is taking a risk. Bigs rarely make for good shoe lines. Furthermore, Embiid’s history of lower leg injuries inevitably puts a lot of scrutiny on his footwear. In short, Sketchers need to knock it out of the park on the first try.

Read More: Joel Embiid Declares For Team USA Ahead Of 2024 Olympics

Shaq Tabs Angel Reese For Reebok

However, Embiid isn’t the only person landing shoe deals. Angel Reese has signed an exclusive deal with Reebok, becoming the first athlete to join the sneaker brand since Shaq became the company’s President of Basketball. In an interview announcing the deal, Reese said that Shaq’s presence was a prominent factor in sealing the deal. “Now that he’s just been announced as their President of Basketball, that is inspirational to me, just being able to see an athlete or former athlete shift from not just being an athlete, but being the president of the brand is something that’s important. I would love to do that one day,” Reese said.

Shaq has previously called Reese the LSU GOAT and the two Tigers appear to share a close bond. While the terms of the deal were not announced, it’s a fairly unsurprising move given their history. Shaq was announced as the company’s new President of Basketball last week after the brand announced a major re-investment into the basketball market. Fellow Hall of Famer Allen Iverson was named the VP of Basketball at the same time.

Read More: Angel Reese Addresses Caitlin Clark Beef, Eyes Title Defense

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James Harden Skips Sixers Practice, Hasn’t Been With The Team Since Sunday

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James Harden has reportedly missed his first practice session of Sixers training camp. Shams Charania broke the news, stating that Harden was not at practice Wednesday and had not been with the team since Sunday. Harden had already been training away from the main team group and had not attended preseason games. However, missing practice entirely is a new level of escalation. The news comes days after it was reported that the Sixers are once again no longer engaging with the Clippers and fully intend for Harden to start the season in Philly.

The missing of practice is something that experts have been surprised hasn’t happened sooner with Harden. The veteran has something of a reputation for being disruptive during offseason activities when he is trying to force a trade. However, it is believed that rumors of renewed discussions between the Sixers and Clippers compelled Harden to put in a few weeks of good behavior.

Read More: Michael Rubin Says James Harden Saga Wouldn’t Have Happened If He Was Still Sixers Owner

Harden Reiterates View On Sixers Relationship

However, the escalation should be all that surprising. Last week, Harden once again stated that he has no relationship with the Sixers front office and that his dispute with the team can only be resolved via trade. “This is not even about this situation — this is in life. When you lose trust in someone, it’s like a marriage … you lose trust in someone, you know what I mean? It’s pretty simple,” Harden said at his first media appearance since the start of Sixers training camp. “When I got traded here, my whole thing is I wanted to retire a Sixer. I wanted to be here and retire a Sixer. And the front office didn’t have that in their future plans,” Harden added while pointedly refuse to explicitly name President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey.

Harden does, however, like new head coach Nick Nurse. “Nick is very versatile. He’s a players’ coach. He understands it. I’ve known him a little bit; he was the G League coach in Houston. He’s obviously won a championship. He just sees the game different and I’m a fan of him,” Harden said. On the topic of basketball, Harden said he would be playing this year, ruling out the possibility of a holdout. However, it’s clear to everyone that Harden will not be happy if he’s playing in Philly and not LA.

Read More: Ime Udoka Says Fred VanVleet Was A “Better Fit” Than James Harden For Rockets

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James Harden Reiterates Relationship With Sixers Can’t Be Fixed

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James Harden has once again stated that he has no relationship with the Sixers front office and that his dispute with the team can only be resolved via trade. “This is not even about this situation — this is in life. When you lose trust in someone, it’s like a marriage … you lose trust in someone, you know what I mean? It’s pretty simple,” Harden said at his first media appearance since the start of Sixers training camp. “When I got traded here, my whole thing is I wanted to retire a Sixer. I wanted to be here and retire a Sixer. And the front office didn’t have that in their future plans,” Harden added while pointedly refuse to explicitly name President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey.

Harden does, however, like new head coach Nick Nurse. “Nick is very versatile. He’s a players’ coach. He understands it. I’ve known him a little bit; he was the G League coach in Houston. He’s obviously won a championship. He just sees the game different and I’m a fan of him,” Harden said. On the topic of basketball, Harden said he would be playing this year, ruling out the possibility of a holdout. However, it’s clear to everyone that Harden will not be happy if he’s playing in Philly and not LA.

Read More: Michael Rubin Says James Harden Saga Wouldn’t Have Happened If He Was Still Sixers Owner

Clippers Still Chasing Harden

Harden has been well-behaved in training camp so far, despite many expecting him to be a disruptive force. However, this may be due to rumors that the Clippers are still actively working to acquire Harden. “League sources say Harden also is taking part because he remains hopeful that a trade to the Clippers is still in the works and believes, for now, that it would be wise to not be a distraction. And the Clippers, league sources say, are going to great lengths to make it happen. League sources say the Clippers have been talking to several teams about ways to move pick swaps for additional draft capital with the intention of bolstering their offer and getting a deal done,” Sam Amick and Shams Charania reported for The Athletic.

Furthermore, the report shed some light on what sort of compensation the Sixers are looking for from the Clippers. The Sixers reportedly rejected an unprotected first, a pick swap, and salary compensation for Harden. Instead, the current counter-offer appears to be Terance Mann and multiple firsts. This would explain why the Clippers were looking to involve a third team. Mann had 8.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game last season. However, the Harden saga remains an unfolding story.

Read More: Ime Udoka Says Fred VanVleet Was A “Better Fit” Than James Harden For Rockets

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Clippers Still Working Hard To Trade For Harden

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The LA Clippers are still working hard to find a deal that would allow them to trade for James Harden. That detail may explain why Harden is yet to be the disruptive presence many believed he would be during training camp. “League sources say Harden also is taking part because he remains hopeful that a trade to the Clippers is still in the works and believes, for now, that it would be wise to not be a distraction. And the Clippers, league sources say, are going to great lengths to make it happen. League sources say the Clippers have been talking to several teams about ways to move pick swaps for additional draft capital with the intention of bolstering their offer and getting a deal done,” Sam Amick and Shams Charania reported for The Athletic.

Furthermore, the report shed some light on what sort of compensation the Sixers are looking for from the Clippers. The Sixers reportedly rejected an unprotected first, a pick swap, and salary compensation for Harden. Instead, the current counter-offer appears to be Terance Mann and multiple firsts. This would explain why the Clippers were looking to involve a third team. Mann had 8.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game last season.

Read More: Joel Embiid Declares For Team USA Ahead Of 2024 Olympics

Clippers Refocus On Harden After Missing Out On Holiday

The resurgence of interest from the Clippers reportedly comes after the team missed out on trading for Jrue Holiday. The Portland Trail Blazers traded Jrue Holiday to the Boston Celtics for two first-round picks, Robert Williams III, and Malcolm Brogdon. The first-round picks are the Warriors’ 2024 pick and the Celtics’ 2029 pick, which is unprotected. Williams III was the 27th overall pick in 2018 and had 8.3 rebounds a game last season. Meanwhile, Brogdon was drafted in 2016 and traded to the Celtics in 2022. He had 14.9 points per game last season. Holiday, who had 19.3 points and 7.4 assists last season, will likely become the Celtics’ starting point guard in place of Derrick White.

Holiday’s time in Portland only lasted a couple of days, although that was to be expected. Holiday was one of the pieces that moved around the league during the Damian Lillard trade. However, the Blazers made it clear that Holiday was still on the trade block as the team was happy with its complement of young guards. Now he will continue his journey in Boston as part of a Celtics team that has built themselves into a serious Eastern Conference favorite. Earlier in the offseason, the Celtics dealt with the Washington Wizards for a new starting center in Kristaps Porziņģis.

Read More: Angel Reese Addresses Caitlin Clark Beef, Eyes Title Defense

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Sixers Emerge As Front-Runner For Jrue Holiday

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The Philadelphia 76ers have emerged as a front-runner for Jrue Holiday. The rumors comes courtesy of Shams Charania, who dialed into The Pat McAfee Show. “Philadelphia has interest in him, and Philadelphia is going to be going hard at him. So, James Harden would have to be a part of a transaction like that,” Charania told McAfee. Holiday was originally drafted by the Sixers back in 2009 and played with the team until 2013.

It’s certainly an interesting proposal and would solve the ongoing dispute that the Sixers have with James Harden. Furthermore, users on social media theorize that the trade would also involve the Clippers, who were the only team that Harden was being traded to earlier in the offseason. Holiday is suddenly on the market after being included in the Damian Lillard trade. However, it’s unlikely Holiday is likely to remain in the Pacific Northwest as Portland is happy with their complement of young guards.

Read More: LeBron James “Preparing Like A Rookie” Despite Entering 21st Season

Lillard Trade Opens The Floodgates

For much of the offseason, the Lillard trade, or lack of one, had the rest of the league in a holding position. Now, with Dame in Milwaukee, the rest of the league can resume business. With Harden seemingly off the table, Holiday has become a primary focus for contending teams. Despite turning 33 earlier this year, he remains a solid contributor. He had 19.3 points in 67 games last season, his highest average since the 19/20 season.

However, Holiday’s departure from the Bucks was mourned by his friend and teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo. “Jrue is my fucking brother for life. I love his family, I love him. I appreciate him and I wish him nothing but the best. He blessed me with a fucking championship. He’s the one who made that huge steal in Game 5 of the Finals. I went to battle with him multiple times. Fuck basketball. Fuck the media shit. This guy is my brother for life, and it’s always going to be like that. He’s going to thrive wherever he ends up.”

Read More: Damian Lillard Reveals Blazers Made Him Fake Injury For Better Draft Pick

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