NBA Notes: Sixers, James Harden, Jazz, Pacers

76ers

Star guard James Harden is likely to continue to put heat on the Sixers for a trade, per Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

“Somebody said to me yesterday, ‘This is only the beginning. This is just the beginning of what James Harden is going to do to make life very uncomfortable for the Philadelphia 76ers going into training camp,’” Shelburne said on NBA Today.

On the same broadcast, ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski said Harden’s approach may end up not serving him so well.

“This is a player who wants to continue to play in the NBA, who wants to continue to earn at a high level,” Wojnarowski said. “You don’t help yourself elsewhere in the future getting out of a situation this way.”

• As we relayed here, Harden still prefers the Clippers as his next destination, but appears to be open to others if it helps facilitate a trade out of Philadelphia.
• Former Sixers guard and current free agent Danny Green said he was “shocked” by Harden calling head of basketball operations Daryl Morey a liar. But Green added he “sees both sides” of the drama. We have that full post here.

Jazz

• Rookie forward (hamstring) Taylor Hendricks has been cleared to participate in all on-court activities, per Ben Anderson of KSL Sports. The Jazz landed Hendricks with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
• Along with that, rookie forward Brice Sensabaugh is making progress from his left knee surgery last month, Anderson noted. Sensabaugh was selected with the No. 28 overall pick.
• Also, rookie guard Keyonte George has been cleared for on-court activities after suffering a sprained ankle in summer league, per Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune.

Pacers

The Pacers have agreed to an Exhibit 10 training camp contract with undrafted rookie point guard Darius McGhee, he told Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

McGhee is 5-foot-9 and spent the summer with the Pacers at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, appearing in two games and averaging 13 minutes. A former three-time ASUN Player of the Year while at Liberty, he was viewed as one of the more lethal perimeter shooters in college basketball.

Indiana already has 18 players under contract — 15 on standard deals and three on two-way contracts. Teams are permitted a 20-man roster for camp and the preseason.

With that in mind, McGhee could be headed to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Pacers’ affiliate in the G League.