The Clippers have a back up plan if the James Harden trade doesn’t come to fruition, according to an NBA insider.
The franchise “continue to have interest in Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon”, PHLY Sports‘ Kyle Neubeck reports.
The Clippers tried to obtain Brogdon from Boston earlier in the offseason, but it didn’t eventuate because the Clippers were concerned about his elbow injury.
Brodgdon was traded to Portland in the Jrue Holiday deal, but it is unclear whether the Blazers would want to part ways with the new guard since they lost star guard Damian Lillard.
As for Harden, he is putting on his best show in the hopes of still being traded to his preferred destination, the Clippers.
“As L.A. threatens to simply make a deal for someone else, the Sixers have had one trump card to play — James Harden has been a good soldier in preseason up to this point, putting forth a commendable effort in practices under new head coach Nick Nurse,” Neubeck said. “It has been the strangest part of the whole ordeal, a bit of whiplash for anyone expecting Harden to stomp his feet and derail the team.”
Harden’s new sworn enemy, Sixers president Daryl Morey is reportedly not happy with how active talks with LA are playing out, Sixers beat reporter Keith Pompey says.
“The Clippers want to get a deal done soon,” Pompey said. “They’re offering a first-round pick, a draft-pick swap, and expiring contracts for the 2018 MVP and three-time scoring champion. And a source said Los Angeles doesn’t want to raise their offer. As the only team bidding for him, the source said the Clippers don’t feel a need to do so. The source said Morey is the one holding up the deal.”
The ten-time All-Star addressed the media for the first time on Friday afternoon and was honest about whether his relationship with Morey could be restored.
“For me, it’s just, trusting people you’ve known for over a decade,” Harden said Friday. “And when I got traded here, my whole thing was I wanted to retire a Sixer. I wanted to be here and retire a Sixer. The front office didn’t have that in their future plans. It’s literally out of my control. It’s something I didn’t want to happen, to be in this position. But I’ve got to make a decision for my family.”
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