πŸ€ 5x5 | Royce Webb

πŸ€ 5x5 | Royce Webb

Six Trade Destinations for James Harden

Which contending teams would be the best fit?

Jeremias Engelmann's avatar
Jeremias Engelmann
Feb 03, 2026
βˆ™ Paid
Will James Harden be taking his talents to Cleveland, South Beach, or another destination? (Scott Taetsch/Kenneth Richmond/Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)


James Harden has asked for a trade, according to reports β€” apparently because the LA Clippers are unwilling to extend him at the price he demands.

Of course, that implies any team trading for Harden should be willing to pay him beyond his current contract, which will expire this year or next.1

Harden still drives great offense: My stats have him as a top-20 offensive player, in fact. But he’s already 36, so today we’re looking at potential trades involving five playoff contenders and a darkhorse team.

Here are six big Harden trades that I like for both teams β€” in order of preference β€” plus a bonus trade involving another aging superstar.

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Jeremias Engelmann's avatar
A guest post by
Jeremias Engelmann
Basketball analyst. Creator of ESPN's Real Plus-Minus. Formerly with the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks
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