NBA fans were stunned Monday night as ESPN's Shams Charania reported that James Harden and the Los Angeles Clippers were "working through" possible trade scenarios ahead of Thursday's deadline.
Moreover, SI's Chris Mannix reported that the Clippers and the Cleveland Cavaliers had held "advanced discussions" over a deal that would swap Harden for fellow NBA All-Star Darius Garland.
MORE:Clippers reportedly parting ways with $81M former MVP, 11-time All-Star, 25-PPG scoring machine
Though the Clippers have won 17 of 22 games after a dismal 6-21 start, the Cavaliers represent a better chance for Harden to win his maiden NBA championship this year -- the one major accomplishment that is missing from his Hall of Fame resume.
But according to Jake Fischer and Marc Stein, the championship chase is not the main reason why Harden is angling for a trade.
The veteran NBA insiders report that Harden wants a contract extension, a longer commitment than the two-year, $82 million deal he is on in Los Angeles.
Furthermore, it is uncertain as to whether the Cavaliers would commit to extending Harden's contract, given that they rank 28th in the league in available cap space.
It is possible that no trade materializes in the end for the 36-year-old Harden, who has a player option for 2026/27 and can decline it in search of a longer free-agent contract come the end of the season.
Harden is averaging 25.4 points per game this season, his highest mark since he won the scoring title in 2019/20.
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