James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers are currently working together to find him a trade partner after the guard opted into his player option. The Sixers and James Harden took awhile to enter negotiations in NBA free agency in the first place, however rumors are that there is a reason why, reports The Athletic's Sam Amick.

“Harden was losing leverage by the day. Sources say Morey, meanwhile, insisted that he was choosing not to discuss free agency before it was permitted by league rules, in large part because of the price that the Sixers paid for doing so previously. And in a most ironic twist, his reasoning was rooted in the moves that Philadelphia had been able to make because of Harden’s choice to take a pay cut last offseason.”

It sounds like the Sixers were taking every precaution that they could this offseason. Still, they now find themselves in a precarious position with Harden, which is going to end in a trade if rumors around the NBA are any indication.

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“No matter the reasoning, Morey’s choice to keep Harden and his camp in the dark regarding the Sixers’ plans had everything to do with Harden’s choice to ask out. And as Morey knows perhaps better than anyone, the prospect of keeping Harden against his wishes — as the Rockets and Brooklyn Nets can attest — is unpleasant at best and untenable at worst. A deal with the Clippers may be the only way to salvage this messy situation.”

Stay tuned into the official start of NBA free agency on Friday. James Harden is not going to be with the Sixers anymore, but it remains to be seen where a trade will land him for next season.