According to the online sportsbook Bovada, the Bulls have a legitimate shot at landing 10-time All-Star and former MVP James Harden. Harden has been seeking a trade since June 29, when he picked up his player option to extend his contract one more season with the 76ers, a request that has yet to be obliged. Philadelphia played in their season opener last night without Harden in the building after some confusion with security and attempting to join the team on the road trip. He had a mysterious 10-day absence before the team’s road trip, and has already missed one regular season game due to his demands. Is Harden a player the Bulls would welcome, and what would it take to get him to Chicago?
Not Harden’s First Rodeo
This story seems to resurface in every city Harden finds himself in. It’s only a matter of time before his club’s success falls short of championship contention, and fingers start to be pointed. Soon after that, Harden finds the door. Starting in Houston, Harden’s displeasure with Chris Paul led to a trade for Russell Westbrook. Shortly after acquiring him and a few failed playoff runs, the two had a falling out, and Harden was on his way to Brooklyn alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. After one of the biggest head-scratching teams in NBA history fell through due to several issues on and off the court within that trio of superstars, Harden departed to Philadelphia for Ben Simmons and additives.
Returning to his usual self last season, his shooting efficiency was much closer to the former MVP’s numbers, and his turnovers were down significantly. Last year marked his third straight campaign, averaging over 20 points and ten assists per game, including leading the league in assists. Philadelphia lost to the Boston Celtics in game seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Harden’s last time on the court with the 76ers. In two victories, Harden scored over 40 points on greater than 50% shooting from the field, but in three losses, he scored less than 17 points with lower than 30% shooting.
DeRozan For Harden Swap
Realistically, the Chicago Bulls would need to give up DeMar DeRozan in exchange for James Harden. Each is entering their 34-year-old season and contract years, making this a swap of rentals for the two clubs. If a long-term deal cannot be reached with DeRozan and no other contenders make offers for his services, this may be the best consolation prize Chicago can claim before his departure. With Harden refusing to play and possibly sitting out for extended periods, the Bulls can lure Philadelphia into adding draft capital in exchange for a deep playoff push. The offseason acquisitions by Boston and Milwaukee have instantly put pressure on the 76ers to match their newfound firepower.
The Fit In Chicago
Even though James Harden packs drama wherever he goes, this experiment might fit with the Bulls roster better than DeRozan. Chicago has not had a true point guard in several years, and Zach LaVine has proven time and time again that he’s an off-ball scoring threat who does much better without the burden of the facilitating duties. Nikola Vucevic can thrive in the pick-and-roll game as a three-level scoring threat, and Coby White can return to the sixth man with scoring abilities off the bench. Harden’s ability to distribute and find open shooters can space the Bulls’ offense and pull them from the depths of their three-point ranks in the last two seasons.
If Chicago continues the downward trajectory they are currently on, this move can only make the roster better. After an opening day eerily similar to last year’s product, it might not be long before Arturas Karnisovas is in ‘job-saving’ mode and pushes for the seven-time All-NBA point guard.
Would you endorse James Harden in Chicago, or would you rather deal DeRozan for more draft capital and young assets elsewhere?
