Fact Check: Has James Harden actually gained so much weight? Debunking rumors about Sixers star

There's a viral photo of James Harden going around on social media. It showed the Philadelphia 76ers star looking overweight in a dinner. Is the image real or fake?

Buttcrack Sports reported that Harden was spotted having lunch in Los Angeles amid rumors of his trade request to the LA Clippers. Harden opted into his contract with the Sixers next season in hopes of getting traded to the Clippers this offseason.

First, the photo is obviously fake and generated by artificial intelligence. Second, the report came from Buttcrack Sports, which is a satire and parody page on X, formerly known as Twitter. The site is notorious for posting fake news and photos to get reactions from the online basketball community.

James Harden gaining weight in the offseason is nothing new. It's a running joke over the past few seasons that Harden puts in a few extra pounds when he wants to get out of a team. He was noticeably thicker when he wanted out of Houston and was very poor on the court when he requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets.

Harden, a former MVP and one of the greatest scores in NBA history, is not the leanest player in the league, though. He was noticeably out of shape during his first few months in Philadelphia, too.

Former NBA player Iman Shumpert, thoughdefended Harden and explained that hamstring issues contributed to the weight gain.

"He's never been skinny," Shumpert said on Vlad TV. "Doesn't matter (that) he was a little heavy. You can't do cardio on a hamstring, bro. It's like the one thing you can't do right.

"Y'all mad at the man for having a hamstring injury and then putting on some weight. That's what I'm saying, like. He is a human."

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James Harden trade update

James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers

James Harden's preferred trade destination is the LA Clippers. However, the Philadelphia 76ers are not in a rush to deal Harden, especially if the Clippers are not showing some signs of urgency to acquire the former MVP.

On the HoopsHype podcast with Michael Scotto, longtime Sixers beat reporter Keith Pompey discussed Harden's possible trade. Pompey explained that the two teams are nowhere near to making a deal because of their different perception of Harden's value.

"There's not a market for Harden," Pompey said. "If you're the Clippers, why should they give up something for a guy where there aren't a lot of other teams beating down the door to get him?

"f you're the 76ers, it's one of those things where why should they give him away for nothing if doing that may make the team take a step backward."