Blockbuster Trade Proposal Sends Clippers’ James Harden To Warriors

NBA star James Harden re-signed with the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year, $70 million deal this offseason. 

Under CBA rules, Harden can’t be traded until December 15, but that didn’t stop NBA analyst Stephen Noh of The Sporting News from proposing a Harden trade between the Clippers and Golden State Warriors. 

Noh proposed the following in-season mock trade:

Warriors receive: James Harden

Clippers receive: Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II, 2025 first-round pick

“It’s not clear exactly what the Clippers are doing this season,” Noh wrote. “They have a veteran-laden team but not enough to compete in a stacked Western Conference after the departure of Paul George and Russell Westbrook. If they are stuck somewhere in the middle, which seems highly likely, then Harden might very well be one of the best players out there at the trade deadline. 

“Harden certainly isn’t the player that he was back in his MVP days, but he was still worthy of All-Star consideration last season due to his phenomenal court vision and shooting. Harden also isn’t a perfect fit in Golden State. The Warriors would have to scrap some of their playbook, which they already will need to do anyway given the departure of Thompson. But the combination of Harden and Stephen Curry on the floor together would give them the potential to be a top-tier offense once again. Defense would be an issue, but those two guys are simply too smart and too good not to figure out a way to score together.”

One of the best players in NBA history, Harden averaged 16.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.8 blocks for the Clippers last season while shooting 42.8% from the field, 38.1% from beyond the arc and 87.8% from the free-throw line. 

The Clippers lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2024 playoffs, while the Warriors missed the postseason. 

A future Hall of Famer, Harden will make $33.7 million next season. The one-time MVP has career averages of 24.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and Clippers.