James Harden is shaking up the landscape of the NBA once again.
Harden, who was ranked as The Sporting News' best free agent of the summer, was expected by many to return to the Sixers next season. Instead, he is planning on opting into his $35.6 million deal in order to work on an opt-in-and-trade out of Philadelphia, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Where could the former MVP and 10-time All-Star end up? Let's take a look at a few potential destinations below.
MORE: Why Kyrie Irving to the Suns is possible but unlikely
Potential landing spots for James Harden
The fact that Harden is requesting a trade is a good indicator that he wants to go to a contender that lacks the cap space to sign him outright. That makes a team like the Rockets, long rumored to be interested in Harden, a less likely destination.
LA Clippers
The Clippers make sense as a landing spot for a ton of reasons. They have already been rumored to have interest, per The Philly Voice’s Kyle Neubeck and Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes. They have a lot of mid-tier salaries that could be used in a trade, such as Norman Powell and Marcus Morris, and they have the ninth-best title odds, per BetMGM.
New York Knicks
The Knicks are another possibility. They've long been building up their asset base in order to trade for a star. After striking out on their attempts at Donovan Mitchell last summer, Harden could be even better. They have multiple extra first-round picks, salary-matching options in RJ Barrett, Evan Fournier, and Isaiah Hartenstein, and promising young players like Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, and Obi Toppin.
James Harden contract opt-in, explained
By opting into the last year of his contract, Harden ensures that he will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. He is not eligible for an extension, per Keith Smith of Spotrac.
Any team acquiring him would thus be taking a big risk that he might just be a one-year rental. Given how often Harden has requested trades out of Houston, Brooklyn, and now Philadelphia, this is a real concern.
It would take a minimum of $26 million in matching salary under the old CBA to acquire Harden, per Smith.
Get your trade machines ready.