Sixers’ Daryl Morey only willing to trade James Harden for an elite player or something that can turn into one

No one should be surprised by Daryl Morey wanting a king’s ransom from potential trading partners for disgruntled point guard James Harden.

The 76ers president of basketball operations was that way with malcontent Ben Simmons, waiting out his demands. The Sixers eventually acquired Harden from the Brooklyn Nets for Simmons in a blockbuster deal.

Morey also had a steep asking price when other teams inquired about forward Tobias Harris prior to June’s NBA draft.

Even still, some thought things would turn out differently based on Morey’s long-standing relationship with Harden. That relationship is now a reportedly fractured one, although Morey said he’s still attempting to honor Harden’s wishes.

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“But the reality is, if we do look at a trade, it’s going to be for one of two things,” Morey said Tuesday on The Anthony Gargano Show on WPEN-FM 97.5 The Fanatic. “It’s either going to be for a player who continues to help us be right there like we were last year, up three-two on one of the best teams in the East in the Celtics.”

Obviously, as Morey went on to note, the Sixers would eventually lose the second-round series in seven games.

“But James was a big part of why we got it to three-two,” Morey said.

The Sixers’ second option, according to Morey, is to trade Harden for enough draft picks that they can flip for a player who can become a running mate with MVP Joel Embiid.

“If we don’t get a very good player or something we can turn into a very good player, then we’re just not going to do it,” Morey said. “And if James were to turn his mind around, we would all be thrilled. But, at this moment, he does prefer to be traded, and we are attempting to honor that.”

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In a meeting with Sixers brass in August of 2021, Simmons told team co-managing partner Josh Harris, Morey, general manager Elton Brand, and then-coach Doc Rivers that he no longer wanted to remain a Sixer.

That led to a prolonged standoff, which became circus-like situation, as Simmons never played for the team again before being dealt six months later for Harden.

At the time, the thought was that Morey’s patience paid off. In Harden, the Sixers acquired a future Hall of Famer, the 2018 league MVP, and three-time scoring champion for a three-time All-Star with a bad back and offensive limitations.

But Harden, who’ll turn 34 on Aug. 26, is no longer the player that he once was. He’s now more of a facilitator and ball handler than a consistent, elite scoring threat. The 10-time All-Star is also not eligible for a contract extension after opting into his $35.6 million deal for the upcoming season. Harden’s current preference is to play for his hometown Los Angeles Clippers.

However, the Clippers and other NBA teams are reluctant to give up an All-Star caliber player and/or multiple first-round picks for a player who has lost a step and is on an expiring contract.

For the time being, that won’t sway Morey from his asking price.

“We need to make sure that Joel Embiid, one of the best players on Earth, has a top running mate,” Morey said. “That could be [Tyrese] Maxey having a leap forward. [New coach Nick] Nurse, I know, is very excited about his conversation with Joel, and how he is going to use him. I still can’t believe how he keeps getting better.”

The executive is aware of the Sixers fans’ frustration over the current roster.

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Harden, whom the fans fell out of favor with, is still on the roster. The Sixers let fan favorite Georges Niang along with Jalen McDaniels and Shake Milton go in free agency. However, the team now has five centers in Embiid and reserves Paul Reed, Mo Bamba, Montrezl Harrell, and Filip Petrušev, who are signed to standard contracts.

“Obviously, right now, things are not looking perfect,” Morey said. “You have to squint to figure out how things are going to work. But at the end of the day, try not to focus on the roster in July. We have too much of this, not enough of that. Try to focus on what the roster will look like during the season.”

Morey knows the Sixers have a lot of put-up-or-shut-up fans, who couldn’t care less about regular-season success or what the roster might look like.

“Well, if that is the case,” he said, “let’s focus on the roster as we go into the playoffs, not really worry about the roster in July.”