Was James Harden sending subtle messages about his future 11 days ago when he gifted the entire organization the newest version of his signature shoes?
After beating the Lakers at the Intuit Dome on Jan. 23, the Clippers’ veteran point guard expressed thanks to the Clippers for their warm support through his past three-plus seasons.
“This entire organization from top to bottom has shown me love and I kind of want to reciprocate that,” Harden said of his footwear gift. “So, just wanting to give them some shoes and kind of celebrate tonight and the love that I have for them in return.”
The Clippers acquired the 11-time NBA All-Star in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers in November 2023, and he has been a workhorse for the Clippers, especially when fellow star Kawhi Leonard has been sidelined because of injuries.
And this season, Harden has been instrumental in helping the Clippers win 17 of their past 22 games after starting the season at 6-21, making the idea of him wanting a trade nearly unimaginable.
He is averaging 25.4 points, 8.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 35.4 minutes per game while shooting 41.9% from the field, 34.7% from 3-point range and 90.1% from the free-throw line in 44 games. One of just four players in the league averaging at least 25 ppg and 8 assists (the Lakers’ Luka Doncic, Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Detroit’s Cade Cunningham are the others), he is having his best season since he was with the Houston Rockets in 2019-20. And together with a healthy Leonard, the Clippers saw the kind of success they envisioned three years ago.
Even Harden – who had requested and been granted a trade three times previously in his career – appeared content with how the team was improving. In an ESPN interview last month, he said he was “blessed” to be playing for the Clippers, near where he grew up in Artesia.
“It’s hard to explain,” Harden told ESPN. “Being at home, that’s like the opportunity of a lifetime for me. Just be able to hoop in front of my family, friends, people I grew up with, people that raised me. It’s a different feeling.”
But all that appreciation and love appear to be coming to an end as Harden has requested a trade, preferably to a contender. The Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly are in advanced talks on a deal that would exchange Harden, 36, for 26-year-old point guard Darius Garland, reports that first surfaced Monday night during the Clippers’ loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The former league MVP did not play in the Clippers’ past two games while dealing with what the team called “personal issues” and is not expected to be with the Clippers when they play host to the Cavaliers on Wednesday night at the Intuit Dome.
Garland, a two-time All-Star, is dealing with a right foot injury and has not played since Jan. 14. He is averaging 18 points and 6.9 assists in 26 games this season. His salary is nearly identical to Harden’s, but he has two years left on his contract after this season.
The timing of the reports caught many of Harden’s teammates by surprise. The Clippers (23-26) are in the process of turning around their season, but remain three games below .500, not ideal for a veteran looking to win an elusive championship before his career is over.
“He means a lot to our team and you’ve seen it the last three years,” Coach Tyronn Lue said. “Who wouldn’t want to have James Harden?”
Harden signed a two-year contract in the offseason worth nearly $81.5 million with a player option for the second year that isn’t fully guaranteed. At the time, the Clippers were not willing to budge on a longer commitment with the aim of opening a lot of salary cap space in the summer of 2027.
Leonard, Harden’s closest friend on the team, said the news was a surprise.
“Respect his decision or whoever’s decision it is,” Leonard said. “That’s it. He’s still going to be my boy and (I) trust the front office.”
Forward John Collins, who joined the team this season, called the news of Harden’s request shocking, especially at this point of the season, when the Clippers are trending upward.
“Heck yeah. I am surprised,” Collins said. “I really, I feel like it’s James, but in that same sense, I’m not because it’s the NBA, you know what I mean? But what can I say? What can I say?
“Obviously, I don’t know too much right now but just going to continue to see how it unfolds and go with it.”
CAVALIERS AT CLIPPERS
When: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Intuit Dome
TV/Radio: FDSN SoCal, 570 AM