It is highly likely that Harden will be involved in trade discussions! Any deal requires his approval, and multiple teams are interested in him.

On December 22nd, Beijing time, the Clippers could pursue a trade for James Harden before the February 6th deadline, yet his contract terms require his approval for any trade to go through.

According to reporter Stein, the Clippers may put Harden on the trading block before the February 6th deadline. A senior NBA executive noted that multiple front offices, including Harden’s current team, believe the former MVP is very likely to be involved in trade talks at some point this winter. However, Stein also mentioned that the Clippers are currently downplaying the likelihood of this trade.

Notably, Harden holds a “trade veto” on any potential deal. Although his contract does not explicitly include a full no-trade clause, the nature of his current contract effectively gives him control over his future this season. Harden is classified as a “one-year Bird rights player,” and his contract with the Clippers, signed last season through the end of that year, is essentially for one year.According to league rules, any trade involving him must be approved by Harden himself.

Previously, Stein reported that several teams are closely monitoring Clippers guard James Harden. Considering the Clippers’ disappointing performance this season, Harden’s age of 36, and his contract situation—which includes a partially guaranteed player option for the 2026-27 season—if the Clippers are willing to trade him, the former regular season MVP would be a highly attractive target. Stein specifically mentioned that the Timberwolves are among the teams seeking a playmaker on the trade market. Earlier reports suggested that if the Timberwolves trade for Harden, the most likely piece they would offer is Randle.

This 36-year-old guard is currently in his third season with the Clippers. An 11-time NBA All-Star and the only American-born regular season MVP in the league (2017-18 season), Harden has played 26 games this season, averaging 25.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game.