James Harden’s Golden Handcuffs – RealGM Analysis

James Harden has a real-life problem. He hates his boss, doesn’t get paid enough and wants to change jobs. But he can’t. 

Instead, he’s stuck at his crummy job as the starting point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers, where he’s making a lousy $35.6 million a year and playing for a boss who, according to Harden, is a liar. Inflation has been rough on many Americans, but none as much as Harden.

I’m being facetious, but there is a point here: What happens when an unhappy star demands a trade, but there’s no market for him? 

Harden has been traded once, twice, three times already, but each time there was a frothy market for the one-man scoring machine. But this time is different. Now he’s 33, good (maybe even very good) but no longer in his prime. There was a time when Harden was good enough to buoy your title hopes, but he’s not that guy anymore. We’ve seen stars…