3 suddenly desperate NBA teams that need to trade for James Harden

Golden State Warriors

Let’s be honest, unless you’re a Golden State Warriors fan that hates James Harden thanks to multiple past playoff confrontations, you kind of want a deal to happen here.

First off the absolute comedy of Harden ending up on this Warriors team can’t be overstated. Setting aside the disdain fans have for him personally, it’s always fascinating to see former rivals united in a single cause on the same team.

More than that, however, Harden and Stephen Curry in the same backcourt would be an incredible offensive sight to behold. Whether head coach Steve Kerr wants to admit it or not, Harden could fit beautifully into the whole as a heliocentric ball-handler, allowing Curry to flourish off the ball and saving him some of the wear and tear that he’s inevitably going to take this season as the primary ball-handler/scorer/facilitator/everything else on offense that he’s going to have to be otherwise.

Harden’s combination of linebacker size and strength, playmaking ability and IQ could make for a historic pairing alongside Curry.

The Warriors are 2-2 after two straight wins against downright terrible teams in the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons, and their best hope to being anything better than a fringe playoff team is that an aging Draymond Green returns from Covid-19 better than ever. It’s a faint hope to say the least.

As for the deal it would take to get him to Golden State, that’s a tricky situation. They might be able to put together the best package of all the teams, however, thanks to possessing a lightly-protected Minnesota Timberwolves first-round pick next season in a fantastic draft class.