Much of the smoke about a James Harden trade in recent days has revolved around him going to Brooklyn, where he’d join forces with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the Nets. That hasn’t been the only potential destination that has popped up in the Harden discourse, as the Philadelphia 76ers have been kicked around as a potential destination, too.
It’s not hard to see how a deal to Philly might work. The team could offer one of Joel Embiid or Ben Simmons as a starting point, and the Sixers recently hired former Rockets executive Daryl Morey to take charge in their front office. According to new reporting, Philly might also have something in its back pocket in its pursuit.
According to Kelly Iko and David Aldridge of The Athletic, one of Harden’s friends is Meek Mill, who is working to recruit Harden to his home city.
Philadelphia’s interest in Harden has grown in recent weeks, sources said. Morey’s ascension to the top decision-maker spot on the basketball side as president of basketball operations is an obvious link, given the history Harden and he share, but there’s also the lure of the Eastern Conference. Rapper Meek Mill has a longstanding relationship with Harden and has been trying to convince him to come to Philadelphia, according to a source. Billionaire Michael Rubin, a close friend of Meek’s and co-owner of the 76ers, is also very fond of Harden.
There is no guarantee that having Meek, a well-documented Sixers fan who had tons of support from the organization while he was in prison for a parole violation, is able to get his pal to Philly. But hey, any little bit helps.
