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After reportedly not being happy with the Brooklyn Nets and stating his dissatisfaction with the Kyrie Irving situation, it appears James Harden may be looking for a new home once again during the 2022 NBA free agency frenzy. Considering that the Nets have underachieved greatly with their Big Three of Harden, Irving, and Kevin Durant, this may be the most logical move for The Beard to consider.
Granted, it's only their second season together and they still haven't had a full season of playing together to develop stronger team chemistry, but with Durant's injury and Irving's continued resistance to the COVID-19 vaccine, this may not be a situation that gets any better for Harden in the near future. On top of that, this has made Harden carry the heavy load, which has started to wear on him as of late.
Harden is in win-now mode and wants to go into an environment that gives him the best chance of winning it all. Despite all the adversities, the Nets have faced this season, they're still the third seed in the Eastern Conference and are just half a game out of the top spot.
Nonetheless, let's discuss the three best free agent destinations for Harden if he winds up leaving the Nets this summer.
Three possible destinations for James Harden in free agency
Harden was heavily linked to the Sixers prior to his move to the Nets last season, and with his name back in the rumor mill, this is the first team that comes to mind. Now that the Sixers have made it known that they're willing to hold off on moving Ben Simmons until the summer, The Beard in the City of Brotherly Love has now become a strong possibility.
Not to mention that this would be a welcome reunion for the Sixers as Harden would be working with general manager Daryl Morey once again. Plus, there's no denying that Harden and Joel Embiid would make a lethal 1-2 punch that would create all kinds of mismatches for opposing teams. Between Embiid's two-way dominance and Harden being a triple-double machine, the Sixers would be elevated to true contender status and have their best chance at winning the Eastern Conference crown and their first NBA title since 1983.
With the Clippers, Harden would give the team a multi-skilled combo guard who would perfectly complement Kawhi Leonard and Paul George while forming an unstoppable superstar trio with two of the most complete players in the game today. With this move, LA would pose the biggest threat to the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors for the Western Conference crown, with the potential to win their first NBA championship in franchise history.
Tyronn Lue has continued to make a name for himself as one of the best coaches in the league with his continued ability to improvise and make changes on the go. So with a Big Three of Leonard, George, and Harden, Lue would have the perfect balance of speed, agility, strength, scoring, and playmaking to work with. If the Clippers want to get over the hump next season and make their first NBA Finals appearance, then making a play for Harden during free agency may be their best bet.
James Harden would form a scary good backcourt with Luka Doncic if he signs with the Mavericks. The team would also have the league's most explosive offensive unit. With both players having the ability to make everyone around them better while breaking the ankles of everyone in front of them, the Mavericks would increase their title chances greatly.
This would also alleviate Doncic's offensive load a ton and improve their ball movement as they'd seamlessly pick apart opposing defenses with their electric passing. Between Doncic and Harden, the Mavericks would have two of the most complete offensive players of all time and would undoubtedly make a ton of noise in the wild West Coast.
