Word is circulating around the NBA about James Harden‘s increased interest in testing the free agent market this summer, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who says the Nets star has “clear intentions” of becoming an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.
Harden holds a $47.4MM player option for the 2022/23 season, but the expectation is that he’ll turn down that option and seek a longer-term contract. The former MVP, who has always signed extensions prior to free agency in the past, expressed interest back in September in going through free agency, even while he suggested that his plan was to remain in Brooklyn.
“Over the course of my career, I’ve never been a free agent before. I’ve always just been loyal, just signing contract extensions, just being there, being there, being there,” Harden said during training camp. “I just want to take my time with it. It’d be a very, very difficult thing to leave here, or to leave Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. But I think this season I just want to focus on winning a championship and everything else will work itself out.”
On the surface, Harden’s plans to reach free agency aren’t a cause for concern for Brooklyn. The Nets will be able to offer him more years and more money than any other team, and he, Durant, and Irving make the team a perennial title contender. He’s among a handful of star free-agents-to-be – along with Zach LaVine and Bradley Beal – who can maximize their future earnings by forgoing an early extension and waiting until the offseason to sign a new deal. As Fischer acknowledges, Harden may very well remain with Brooklyn after testing the market
However, multiple reports this week have stated the Sixers are looming as a potential suitor for Harden, and Fischer hears from sources that the 32-year-old has recently told confidants he may be interested in exploring opportunities outside of Brooklyn.
Fischer shares a few more potential red flags for the Nets, writing that Harden has been frustrated by Irving’s status as a part-time player, as well as Steve Nash‘s fluid rotations. Fischer also hears from multiple sources that Harden hasn’t enjoyed living in Brooklyn as much as he liked living in Houston.
Fischer stresses that Harden isn’t asking for a trade and that he’s extremely likely to finish the season in Brooklyn. Beyond that though, it seems there are no guarantees.
James Harden Reportedly Interested In Testing Free Agent Market
Why is this of such great concern now?
The Nets are good this year and are only 1/2 game out of overall first place in the East
SMH
It’s a rumors site, Lefty. The “Nets are good” isn’t really a rumor. The fact that he isn’t interested in maybe staying with the Nets is. If you’re not interested, fine- simply don’t read instead of criticizing content some people are interested in.
You are not saying, Boo!!!!
You are saying Boo Urns! Boo Urns!!!
SMH
Quotes from the article.
as well as Steve Nash‘s fluid rotations
Harden isn’t asking for a trade
Yeah, I think Harden is happy
Cancer Kyrie
Can do 3 team sign and trade?
Ben Simmons goes to third team
Nets can’t afford two tigers like Irving and Simmons
Also
Team may offer better trade package than Simmons
Seems like a bad fit for Harden, Brooklyn that is.
He doesn’t like living there, doesn’t like the coaches rotations, doesn’t like that Kyrie is a part time player when he’s trying to win a championship. In Houston he was always the first scoring option and one of the hardest guys in the NBA to guard. Instead of regularly putting up 40, he’s now expected to get 20 points and 10 assists and run the point on this team. All because Kyrie said so, and Kyrie isn’t even playing.
Cmon over to Philly James. Together you and Embiid will make one of the hardest to stop scoring duos in the league. We don’t have Travis Scott like Houston but we have Lil Uzi, Meek Mill and Kevin Hart
What makes you think he doesn’t like residing in Brooklyn? Can you share? He wanted to play with Durant and Irving. Do you think he thought he’d be the first option for scoring going there? He LOVES handling the ball and being in control – why do you think he didn’t work out with Russell and had some issues with CP3 when teammates?
Philly does make sense in the sense he’d run the ball, get his money, have the big man grab his missed shots and add to his assists, big guy can cover his lack of defense, and his relationship with the GM.
At the end of the day I think it’ll come down to money over opportunity, this a possible sign and trade may not be out of the question though I’d suspect the Nets would be resistant to that type of a scenario.
Because there other stories say he doesn’t like living there and he not happy with lriving part status.
It says he doesn’t like living there if you read the article
Gotcha. Didn’t see the article continued on after the ‘ad’ (thought that was the end of the post) and just scrolled down to the comments. Thanks for pointing it out.
Now, if only Russ would seek a long-term deal …
If there is a God……
Harden says he has “always just been loyal.” I wonder what Houston would have to say about that, given that he came into camp completely out of shape and proceeded to force a trade by basically quitting on the team. That was some sweet loyalty. Signing extensions does not equal being loyal if you decide to quit on a team in order to force a trade.
The Kyrie issue could (and probably will) be solved this offseason – assuming the mandates stay in place it’s hard to see Brooklyn signing up for another year of this with Irving.
Seems likely that one of the two (Harden/Kyrie) will be elsewhere by next season.
If Harden skips town in free agency it’s got to he looked at as a massive failure on Brooklyn’s part. Think about what they gave up for Harden. All of that for a season and a half of chunky beard? Just to lose him to Philly anyway? Really hope he stays a Net
So Morey is going to hold onto Simmons and essentially throw away this season, in the middle of Embiids prime, to have the opportunity to pay a declining James Harden $200 million over four years?
Yikes.
Harden 4-year max is $222.8 million
He can opt in this summer and sign $222.8 million 4 year contract.
Yep.
Not necessarily. Morey could trade for a package of role players/expiring deals so that enough money is freed up this summer to pursue a FA deal with Harden. Or he could target players that could be stopgaps this year and then be leveraged in a sign-and-trade with Brooklyn (should it come to that).
The projected NBA salary cap for the 2022-23 season is $119 million
Salary dump Simmons and Harris right away.
After salary dump
76ers salary cap $46 million in July 1
Give Harden near-max at $46 million.
Everyone else vet min
Grass isn’t always greener for Harden. I do kinda feel for the nets. They thought they were going to be running the east with KD, Harden and Kyrie.
Unfortunately getting all three on the floor is proving no easy task. KD was MVP level before getting injured, again. Kyrie is causing his own problems and Harden doesn’t look the same, granted he’s posting good numbers but he doesn’t look like the relentless beard we’ve seen for years.
If all three were fit and all in. They’d easily be favourites, but right now it’s unlikely. If the season ends in tears it wouldn’t surprise me if they shipped one or even two of them to try and get a good return and have a future beyond 3 of the best in their 30’s that all carry problems.
The Beard prefers Houston over Brooklyn? Taxes or ladies related?
I mean, seriously… surely no one, & I repeat no one & their mother would prefer BRK over HOU…, you gotta agree with Harden in this one!
It simply states in the article he doesn’t
They have better blow-out strip bars w/o COVID restrictions in Houston too. Don’t blame him
Thats the only “logic” reason that sixers dont mind not to trade Ben….a sign and trade from nets to obtain Harden. Is a high risk because they can trade Ben now and go for a championship this year. You never know what can happen next year.
Harden in many ways is already negotiating with Nets. He doesnt want Nets to get too cute with new contract at season end. The only reason Harden didnt sign the extension is because he could get paid more this offseason. In addition, this will be his only opportunity he can leverage to gain more special favors from Nets – personnel on and off the court, etc.
So he needs Brooklyn to step up their stripper game.
Philly has options when it comes to sign and trades – Harden, Beal or Levine. Harden would be my last choice. His age and lack of conditioning are huge red flags for durability and effectiveness over a long term contract.
If he has his wits about him he’ll end up on the Blazers, most strip clubs per capita by a wide margin
‘Always just been loyal” Hmmm .
Id bet he actually believes that as well which is the sad part
In baseball it takes 3 strikes to get a seat on the bench…I hope it only takes 2 for KD to strike Harden outta his life forever. Even Tina Turner eventually left Ike in the end
What a tough pill to swallow for the Nets owner that potentially sunk nearly a half a billion dollars into the trio
Yikes, kinda heavy. It’s basketball…it’s a game…
“New York City Set for Cold Blast Before Possible Weekend Storm”
Being from Wisconsin, I would love it but I think Harden misses the mild winters of Texas.
S&T involving Lowry, dude ends up in Miami.
Harden + South Beach…I shudder at the thought.
So many nurses will finally graduate.