James Harden Trade Rumors: 5 Role Players Sixers May Target

There has been no shortage of trade rumors involving James Harden this offseason. His preference remains a one-way ticket, at least if sourced reports are taken as true, to Los Angeles where he can team up with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. That would be Harden’s ideal scenario.

However, what is good for Harden isn’t necessarily good for the Philadelphia 76ers. Traction on a trade to the Clippers hasn’t been greased. There is a general feeling that Harden will report to Sixers’ training camp in late September unless a miracle deal comes together in the coming weeks.

It’s unclear how everything will play out there — for instance, would Harden be a malcontent at camp? Would he arrive in tip-top physical shape? — and it would be naive to think that Daryl Morey isn’t entertaining all offers, even ones netting less than what Harden is worth.

So, with those thoughts in mind, let’s investigate some super low-budget, under-the-radar moves for the Sixers:

(Note: every one of these potential trades would be part of a bigger, multi-player package)

1. Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland, Los Angeles Clippers: Word on the street is that Terance Mann is off-limits in any trade scenario. The Clippers value his versatility and consider the 26-year role player a future building block. However, Hyland is the new kid on the block coming over in a trade last February. He is a good ball-handler with a lethal three-point shot, two necessary traits to have around Joel Embiid who excels at finding open shooters on the perimeter.

Hyland has averaged 10.9 points per game, with a 36.8% percentage from beyond the arc in 125 career games. The Wilmington, Delaware native already has some history at Wells Fargo Center stemming from what he did to the Sixers on March 14, 2022. He torched the hometown team for 21 points in 31 minutes, including four soul-crushing triples in the final seven minutes to cap off a 114-110 victory for the Denver Nuggets.

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The next potential under-the-radar move on the list involves going back to a certain college well that might cause unwelcomed flashbacks in the City of Brotherly Love. Tari Eason starred at LSU where he earned Sixth Man of the Year honors in the Southeastern Conference during the 2021-22 season after transferring over from Cincinnati. He was a versatile wing player for Ben Simmons’ alma mater where he did it all, including an impressive four-game stint at point guard.

Eason’s ceiling could be a “better Dennis Rodman,” according to Houston Rockets assistant John Lucas who coached Rodman for two seasons in San Antonio. Ironically, Lucas also coached the Sixers from 1994-96.

“He is a prime example of a better Dennis Rodman,” said Lucas, via Big Sarge Sportz. “That is a good fit for him. I have been trying to see who he plays like. You don’t have to run plays for him, but you can pencil in 16 to 18 points for him, and he is getting better. He is crashing the offensive glass. He is running the floor and getting steals.”

2. Tari Eason, Houston Rockets: Eason was loosely linked to the Sixers heading into the 2022 NBA draft. Instead, he went 17th overall to Houston and Philadelphia swapped the 23rd pick (David Roddy) to Memphis in exchange for De’Anthony Melton. No one is criticizing that genius move. It stands to reason that Eason — a lock-down defender with great speed and raw talent — would be a tempting young player for the Sixers to unload Harden for as part of a bigger deal. The 6-foot-8 wing saw significant burn during his rookie year and got better as the year rolled along. He averaged 9.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 21.5 minutes per game while serving on the Rockets’ so-called “Goon Squad.” He has all the makings of a young P.J. Tucker.

Another guy to keep an eye on is combo guard Cameron Payne who was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the San Antonio Spurs in July. The 29-year-old was once called “America’s Most Overlooked Prospect” by Bleacher Report in a scouting report that hyped up his killer instinct and ball-handling skills. Payne was on a short list of players to average at least 20 points, five assists, two steals and two made threes per game in a season while helping put Murray State on the national map. And he helped the school win 25 straight games during the 2014-15 campaign en route to Ohio Valley Player of the Year honors.  

3. Cameron Payne, San Antonio Spurs: The 6-foot-1 combo guard projects as a bench player next season behind starting point guard Tre Jones after Phoenix sent him packing to San Antonio. He’s a double-digit point scorer and high-energy guy, perhaps the blueprint for what a role player should be. Payne has struggled with his shot at times, particularly at the free-throw line, but he can push the pace in short bursts which should allow more rest for Tyrese Maxey. (Yes, Keldon Johnson would be a better option but the Spurs don’t seem willing to trade him).

James Harden green-lighted a trade to Portland way back in 2020, but that was due to his friendly relationship with ex-general manager Neil Olshey. The opportunity for Harden to play alongside Damian Lillard would have still been on the table. Not anymore. Instead, the Trail Blazers may be interested in pulling off a deal for the one-time MVP as a way to acquire his expiring contract and then flip it later.

In that scenario, the Sixers would be wise to ask for Keon Johnson in any potential deal. The two-time Tennessee Mr. Basketball is raw and unpolished, yet the upside is there thanks to his defensive prowess (119.3 rating) and an insanely cheap contract ($2.8 million). One problem: Johnson dislocated his right index finger in summer league play. If this is the best player available for Harden, then the Sixers might want to keep him until something better materializes.

4. Keon Johnson, Portland Trail Blazers: No one is quite sure what Portland is doing these days. Damian Lillard requested a trade back in July but there has been no rush to get anything done. Remember, Lillard only wants to play for Miami. Meanwhile, a new report suggests that Harden would be willing to suit up for the Trail Blazers in a proposed four-team deal. The Sixers should ask for Johnson — the No. 21 pick from the 2021 draft — in any package. While his offensive game needs a ton of work — 37.6% from the field and 34.6% on threes — the youngster’s tenacity on the defensive end is drool-worthy.

Trades within the same conference, let alone the same division, aren’t usually requests that rival general managers want to entertain in August. Or any month, for that matter. But the Sixers are in a bind with the James Harden situation and the New York Knicks could have the perfect piece for them.

The 10-time All-Star has already been linked to the Knicks, so it kind of makes sense. Plus, Harden loves playing at Madison Square Garden where he once dropped 61 points to tie Kobe Bryant’s record. Then, there was this interesting nugget from The Athletic’s Fred Katz who claimed the Knicks were in talks to trade Quickley for a “star player.”

“I have heard of at least one situation where they spoke to another team about flipping Quickley for a very good player in his prime.”

5. Immanuel Quickley, New York Knicks: The 2020 first-rounder out of Kentucky somehow remains under the national radar despite playing in the Big Apple. He averaged 14.9 points per game while shooting 37% from three-point land en route to Sixth Man of the Year runner-up honors last season. Yet the Knicks haven’t locked him up to a long-term extension as he continues to play on a club-exercised option. Quickley (6-foot-3) reportedly wants “nine figures” and the Knicks have a bit of a logjam in the backcourt with Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Quentin Grimes, R.J. Barrett, and Donte DiVincenzo all competing for minutes. He could be a sneaky good return for Harden — that is if the Sixers can afford to hand him a new contract.