Four weeks ago, the 76ers management made a phone call to Nets general manager Max to discuss the possibility of a deal, and the conversation between the two sides was also exposed, according to ESPN reporter Wonarowski.
"What about James?"
"Which James?" Max responded. The Nets do have two Jameses, one is James Johnson and the other is James Harden.
"James Harden."
"No," Max replied bluntly.
That exchange was the only direct communication between the Nets and the 76ers so far this season, and the information was clear, the 76ers planned to pursue Harden, and the Nets had no intention of sending him away.
As the deal deadline approaches, the two sides are likely to connect again, and Nets owner Tsai Chongxin and the 76ers' team of owners also have close ties, and perhaps they can also communicate directly with each other. Harden's own attitude is still the most important factor, and while he keeps telling the Nets' teammates, coaches, and management that he wants long-term success with the Nets, his behavior on and off the court shows some ambivalence.
Harden hasn't had an agent for years, but he does have a business manager, Lorenzo McLeod. When he decided to leave Hugh City in 2020, he entrusted Wasserman's agents, Ranne and Fields, to broker the deal, and sources said the two played a key role in Harden's joining the Nets, but their partnership with Harden ended in March 2021.
Last summer, when Harden considered a contract extension, he operated in the same way as the rockets had signed two times in the past, discussing the pros and cons of different contracts with the players' union, which is why he didn't want to pay agent commissions: He was a superstar who didn't need to negotiate and could choose his favorite top-salary contract. In the end, Harden did not renew his contract with the Nets, and at the end of September, he informed ESPN that he was looking forward to becoming a free agent for the first time in his career, and before that, he would be committed to helping the Nets win the championship.
However, this season, Irving became a part-time player due to refusal to be vaccinated, Durant has been absent for nearly a month due to a knee injury, the Nets fell to seventh in the East after 8 consecutive defeats, Harden only scored four points against the Kings, and then missed two consecutive games due to hamstring injuries.
Harden's private complaints about the Nets coaches, teammates and teams have spread throughout the league, but those who have worked with him in the past understand that this is how he performs in difficult times. Nearly everyone who has worked with Harden for a long time in the NBA admits that he will quickly blame others — and rarely blame himself.
Once Durant returns, perhaps after the All-Star Game, the burden on Harden and Irving is lightened, and the Nets' management is counting on the momentum of the season to change at that time. Sources said Durant had a lot of influence over the team, but he did not tell Tsai and Max what they should do before the trade deadline. Sources said Durant still wants to keep Harden, but wants a loyal Harden.
If Harden is not available by the deadline, the 76ers will not give up. Even if Harden told the Nets he wanted to stay, the 76ers believed he was interested in playing for Philadelphia.