Damian Lillard and James Harden are continuing the trend of recent trade requests that have called into question the value of NBA contracts at large.
As the NBA finally enters the quiet portion of its calendar, two teams have franchise-defining decisions to make over the coming weeks or months.
Damian Lillard requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers in early July, and Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden picked up his $35.6 million player option with the intention of being traded, too. According to reports, Lillard wants the Blazers to trade him to the Miami Heat, while Harden wants the Sixers to send him to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Both players‘ single-minded focus on heading to a particular destination is problematic for their respective teams. The Heat and Clippers have little incentive to put their best offers on the table if they aren’t concerned about other suitors topping them. And Lillard and Harden are doing their best to force the Blazers and Sixers‘ hands.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported in early July that Lillard’s agent had been „calling prospective trade partners and warning against trading for his client. In mid-July, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that the Sixers have had „no substantial trade conversation“ with any other teams about Harden, „as rival front offices have been briefed on Harden’s unwavering focus on the Clippers and the Clippers alone.“
Lillard and Harden are essentially trying to have their cake and eat it, too. In doing so, they’re continuing the trend of recent trade requests that have called into question the value of NBA contracts at large.
Last July, Lillard picked up his $48.8 million player option for the 2024-25 season and signed a two-year, $121.8 million contract extension with the Blazers. He’s owed an estimated $58.5 million in 2025-26 and has a $63.2 million player option for the 2026-27 season. Wojnarowski noted that deal is now „making it harder for the Blazers to trade Lillard,“ as „some teams see that extension as a back-end blight on their cap.“
No one forced Lillard to sign that extension. If he wasn’t certain about his long-term future in Portland, he could have played out the final guaranteed year of his previous contract, turned down his $48.8 million player option and tested free agency in 2024. The same goes for Harden, who had the opportunity to become an unrestricted free agent this summer had he declined his $35.6 million player option.
Leading up to free agency, plenty of rumors circulated about Harden and the Houston Rockets having mutual interest in a reunion. However, the Rockets eventually pivoted away from Harden and turned their attention to then-Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet. Without being able to use Houston as leverage,, Harden opted in to avoid having to potentially settle for a „short-term, team-friendly contract that wouldn’t come close to reflecting his stature in the league,“ according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.
