PHILADELPHIA — Everything you wanted to know about the James Harden situation but were too afraid to ask …
So, wait, this whole time the Sixers had the option of trading Harden? I thought the Sixers were begging him to re-sign.
I’m not sure “begging” is the correct word. In fact, the Sixers’ messaging was restrained all offseason whenever the Harden topic arose. Perhaps they suspected the die had already been cast. Whatever the case, their posture was that of a team that wanted him back on their terms. They knew they were better with him, but not so much that they were willing to let him set the terms. The dynamic was never clearer than during the hiring process for new head coach Nick Nurse, when Joel Embiid met with the veteran coach and Harden did not.
