[Shelburne] Harden hasn't had an agent in several years. Harden is searching for an agent to partner and navigate the situation – whether that's free agency, a trade to leave the Nets after the season, staying on a new deal, or even a trade prior to Thursday's deadline.

According to Ramona Shelburne and Woj, James Harden hasn't had an agent because, as a max player, he was able to pick out cookie cutter max contracts with the consultation of the NBA Players Association without having to pay an agent's commission. It seems like he's willing to forgo such savings for his next contract, as he declined to extend his contract with the nets and is going to pursue a proper free agency.

From Shelburne's article:

Harden hasn't had an agent in several years, but he does have a business manager, Lorenzo McCloud. When Harden wanted out of Houston before the 2020 season, he commissioned agents Jason Ranne and Chafie Fields at Wasserman to work with the Houston Rockets and rival teams to facilitate a trade. They played a key role in getting Harden to the Nets, and then the working relationship ended in March of 2021, sources said.

Once again, sources told ESPN, Harden and his manager have been searching for an agent to partner and navigate the situation -- whether that's free agency, a trade to leave the Nets after the season, staying on a new deal, or even a trade prior to Thursday's deadline.

When Harden considered signing an extension last summer, he handled it the way he did his past two deals in Houston: Discussing the pros and cons of different contract iterations with the National Basketball Players Association. That's why he didn't want to pay an agent's commission; he was a superstar player who needed no negotiation. He could pick his preferred max contract on a menu the way someone else might choose an HMO plan.

Ultimately, Harden did not sign an extension with the Nets, and at the end of September, he told ESPN's Malika Andrews he was looking forward to becoming a free agent for the first time in his career. Before then, he insisted he was focused on winning a championship with Brooklyn.

It seems clear that Harden's camp is running a psyops campaign intended to signal his willingness to leave to another team like Philadelphia in the off season. When you read between the lines, the source from within Harden's camp is signaling that, if the Net's don't trade Harden, he's going to leave anyway. It also seems that this is a controlled leak to induce a trade with Philadelphia before the trade deadline.

Do you agree with this interpretation? If not, why do you think that Harden is seeking an agent?