PHILADELPHIA – For the third time in as many years, James Harden wants a change of scenery.

But he might not get it.

In late June, the 10-time National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star opted into his US$35.6 million (S$47.2 million) player option for next season, allowing him to work together with the Philadelphia 76ers to find a way out of town. In the weeks since – mostly crickets, according to Sports Illustrated.

Harden, 33, prefers to move to the Los Angeles Clippers, who are reportedly interested – but not at the going asking price of Terance Mann and likely first-round draft picks. The New York Knicks were another team expected to engage in potential trade discussions, according to multiple sources, but no action has come from that front.

“He’s wishing for a different situation contractually... If we can do something that is win-win, helps the Sixers, then we will look at it. If we can’t, then we won’t,” Sixers general manager Daryl Morey said on Tuesday during an interview with Philadelphia’s 97.5 FM.

Following news of Harden’s trade request, his teammate and reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid said earlier in July: “Disappointed, but then again, I also understand it’s a business. People make decisions and I’m more appreciative of the way he’s handled the situation.

“We’re going to be boys forever. We want him to come back, obviously, so we can go out and accomplish what we want, which is to win a championship, so hopefully his mindset can be changed. But other than that, I’m just so happy to be his friend.”

Other relationships have felt the effects of Harden’s request though. After nearly a decade of working together, dating to their time in Houston, Harden and Morey are reportedly at odds.

When Harden wanted out of Houston in 2020, Morey sent him to his preferred destination of the Brooklyn Nets eight games into the season. After Morey had moved to the Sixers, he brought in Harden, who had demanded a trade from the Nets in 2022.

But now, “the relationship between James Harden and Daryl Morey is essentially severed, it’s essentially fractured throughout this process,” The Athletic reported.

For their part, the Sixers will continue to attempt to shop Harden.

“If we don’t get either a very good player or something that we can turn into a very good player, then we’re just not going to do it,” Morey said. “At this moment he does prefer to be traded and we’re attempting to honour that.”

Harden averaged 21.0 points, 10.7 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 58 games last season. The guard has career averages of 24.7 points, 7.0 assists and 5.6 rebounds in 1,000 games (786 starts) from his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Rockets, Nets and 76ers. Harden moved to the Sixers in the deal that sent Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond to the Nets.

Harden might not be the only headache for Morey.

Embiid said last Thursday: “I just want to win a championship – whatever it takes. I don’t know where that’s going to be, whether that’s in Philly or anywhere else.”

When those comments went viral, the Cameroonian centre tweeted a reminder that his user handle is Joel “Troel” Embiid.

Responding to his star player’s comments last week, Morey said: “He had some fun with that yesterday... I spoke to him at length. He spoke to coach (Nick) Nurse yesterday. He’s very excited. Coach Nurse is planning to do some innovative things for training camp that Joel’s excited about.

“At the end of the day, he’s talking about the business of the NBA. In his mind, he wants to win here. He wants to win it for Philly. That’s the only place he wants to win. He absolutely was referencing that it’s not totally in his control where he is at all times.”

Meanwhile, Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges addressed his year-long absence from the NBA by apologising on Tuesday for causing “pain and embarrassment” after a domestic violence incident in which he was accused of assaulting the mother of his children in front of them.

Bridges, 25, did not play last season after he was arrested in Los Angeles on June 29, 2022, on domestic violence charges and ultimately pleaded no contest while receiving a sentence of three years probation. He was handed a 30-game suspension by the NBA in April and will have to serve 10 games of that next season, with 20 games credited for time served. REUTERS