The Los Angeles Clippers made headwaves on Tuesday by trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers. In exchange, the Clippers get Darius Garland.
Lately, there has been much speculation that Harden requested a trade. However, NBA insider Brian Windhorst emphatically refutes that notion, per The Hoop Collective. In a conversation with Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon, Windhorst made his case.
He says that Harden is being flatly disingenuous by saying he wanted out so the Clippers could be a contender.
“I like James, he’s a friend of the pod, Windhorst said. “He’s been on the pod….. ‘ I didn’t want it to feel like I was holding the Clippers up in there future. I wanted them to have a chance to rebuild and have some draft capital, I mean, they got a second-round pick.”
“This is quite the interview,” Bontemps replied.
“Listen, man, as I said, James Harden is a basketball mercenary and a businessman. It’s fine.” MacMahon said.
“He got to LA doing the exact same thing out of Philadelphia”. Bontemps said.
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“Well, that they cracked each other,” Windhorst replied. “There was cracking each other.”
“Well, he cracked Brooklyn pretty good too”. MacMahon said.
James Harden's statement on the trade
After the trade, Harden released a statement, denying rumors of a trade and thanking the Clippers, per Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.
“In life, not even just basketball, when things don't work out, there are ways to end things in relationships without having to crack each other. Okay, maybe we just don't see a future with each other. Maybe we just outgrew each other, whatever the case may be. I feel like other situations weren't like that. And that's why I can respect Steve and L and TLu because they didn't put me in a weird position as much as everybody tried to make it like that.”
Altogether, Harden played 44 games and is averaging 25.4 points and 8.1 assists per game.