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 2021, sources said.
Once again, sources told ESPN, Harden and his manager have been searching for an agent with whom 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 before Thursday's deadline.
When Harden considered signing an extension last summer, he handled it the way he had for 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.