Will James Harden exit the Los Angeles Clippers through free agency? That question has been on the minds of NBA fans for quite a while, with a report from Michael Scotto, of HoopsHype, stating that Harden “is trending towards declining his $36.35 million player option”. Even at the ripe age of 35, Harden is still delivering on the court, averaging 22.8 points, 8.7 assists, and 5.8 rebounds, while also excelling on the defensive front. But with less than 48 hours left until his free agency kicks in, it remains to be seen whether the 2018 MVP decided opts for the player option available to him, or dawns a new jersey next season.

An X account by the name of ‘Shot Coverage’ highlighted that James Harden didn’t stop leaning from his old position. After all, according to sources, the player is expected to decline his $36M player option, choosing instead to become an unrestricted free agent. In that case, his future will be in his own hands. He can go to another team, or wait for the Clippers to make him an offer he cannot refuse.

Regardless of what option Harden opts for, the Clippers have all the intention of keeping him in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future. In a report published by the Athletic’s Law Murray, he was able get a statement from the Clippers’ President of basketball operations, Lawrence Frank. Frank states, We were able to formally engage with James once the finals ended. He’s our No. 1 priority. We’re super hopeful that James is here, and he’s here for a long time. But yet, at the same time, we always respect that he has a player option. So he can opt in, and obviously, we’re super, super excited with that. Or he can opt out, and hopefully we can do a deal that makes sense for both sides.” This confirms the Clippers’ intention of continuing with Harden irrespective of what decision the 11x NBA All-Star takes.

James Harden’s decision does not solely affect him. It affects the Los Angeles Clippers, too. After all, as an X user Tobias Barkley highlighted, the player might have opted out to take less money to help the organization acquire players. Just like Jalen Brunson forfeited $113 million in his new contract with the New York Knicks last year. Whether that is true or not, Harden’s decision does open the doors for the Clippers to acquire a major offensive force.

Will the LA Clippers use James Harden’s player option money to acquire Anfernee Simons?

The LA Clippers haven’t made it past the first round of the playoffs in 3 consecutive years, and have reached the Conference Finals only once in the team’s entire history (2020-21). Even with forces like James Harden, the construction of a $2.2 billion new arena, and good guidance, things don’t seem to be going their way over the long term. Paul George’s exit from the team certainly did not help things, as it left a gapin hole on the offensive front. Now, with James Harden expected to clear up some salary space, the front office might look to close that gap with a newly acquired Celtics star.

According to NBA insider Brett Siegel, the Clippers are a team to monitor if the Celtics opt to relocate Anfernee Simons and his expiring contract. It was less than two weeks ago when Simons and two second-round picks were traded in exchange for Jrue Holiday being sent to the Portland Trail Blazers. Now, he could be on the move again this offseason because, as ‘The Athletic’s Jay King highlighted, “Looking to continue shedding salary, the Celtics have explored the idea of flipping Simons’ $27.7 million expiring contract”. In case of Harden’s exit, the leftover money can opens the doors for the Clippers to acquire Simons, while the Celtic’s also get some much needed Financial relief.

Last season, Simons put up 19.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists, while shooting 42.6% from the field and 36.3% from beyond the three-point line. He has proven himself efficient in terms of shot creation, ball handling, and three-point shooting. While his defensive abilities can be a question, the Clippers have players like Kris Dunn, Ivica Zubac, and Kawhi Leonard to help out on the backcourt.

Getting Simons won’t be cheap. Any deal would highlight either Norman Powell or Bogdan Bogdanovic as a sacrifice, likely due to salary reasons. In the end, however, it will be worth it if the Clippers’ offense recovers from being the fourth-worst in the conference.