OFFICIAL AROUND THE NBA: AUGUST 2023

Clippers don’t have cap room to sign him. I think Harden opted in so he could be traded there.

 

You're probably right. Just like he signed a contract with Houston and then came in with a fat suit when he didn't want to honor it.

I'm not saying Morey is right (if he lied), but Harden probably isn't the one to be throwing stones at people for being unprofessional.

 

Life is about choices. Do you want the money or do you want to play in your #1 location? Not all players can get the best of both worlds.

 

But the only way he could play in his #1 location was by opting in to get traded. It wasn’t about money. If it was, he would’ve opted out and signed with the highest bidder.

 

Did he get a no trade clause? He could have certainly set up his contract in a way that would have allowed him to opt out, correct?

Maybe sign a one year deal? Or a 3 year deal with the final 2 years being a player option or something...

 

Eh? When you sign long contacts that's what you get. Couldn't he have signed a shorter contract?

 

You are assuming there was more money out there than his current contract.

If he would have opted out, I don't think Harden finds a team willing to give him >$36M.
The teams with CAP space didn't want him.

So his options were:
1) Opt in and try and demand a trade
or
2) Opt out and sign for the MLE ($10M/yr)

IMO, the money means the most to Harden.

 

Harden had the opportunity to be a FA this summer.
He had a player option that he exercised in June to return to the 76ers.
https://www.spotrac.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/james-harden-6312/

There just wasn't a market out there this summer willing to pay Harden >$30M/yr - so he exercised his player option to return.

 

Thanks. So it was about money.

 

He couldn't become a free agent and sign for the minimum to play for the Clippers?

 

Yes - he could have. Harden chose not not....

It's ALL about the money for Harden.

 

It’s ALWAYS about money.

 

Many guys have taken less money to be where they want. It's not overly common, but it definitely happens.

 

Who?

 

To be fair to Harden, he did take less to allow Philly to sign some people and stay out of lessen some of the tax (PJ Tucker) and iirc, he could have signed a long contract with Brooklyn and demanded a trade after that, like some people (cough cough) do, and did not do that.

 

That can't be the bar we're giving people credit for though.

 

Harden trying to get the GM fired. That's a lot harder to do then a Coach. If Embiid goes public with dirty laundry, dial 1-888-RICH-CHO

 

Tim Duncan took a pay cut to be able to bring Ginobli back

 

Just a few examples... Pretty sure Malone and GP did forever ago.. both Tim Duncan and Dirk did... Shaq did, so have DWade and Harden.

https://www.essentiallysports.com/n...ddress-all-of-my-familys-long-term-financial/