Sixers guard James Harden plans to turn down his $35.6MM player option for 2023/24 and seek a long-term contract, reports Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. According to Haynes, Harden hopes to sign a four-year deal in free agency.
Harden will turn 34 in August, so this summer could be his last and best opportunity to secure a significant multiyear contract. He took a pay cut a year ago in order to give Philadelphia the cap flexibility necessary to add roster reinforcements.
The Rockets have been repeatedly linked to Harden since December, and those rumors have only intensified since the Sixers were eliminated from the playoffs over the weekend. However, sources tell Haynes that the former Arizona State standout will only consider suitors that can provide a “competitive roster and the basketball freedom” for Harden to be himself.
That makes Philadelphia the most logical option for now, according to Haynes, who suggests the Rockets would have to retool their roster to some extent if they’re committed to the idea of a reunion with Harden and want to sell the former MVP on the situation in Houston.
Although Harden missed out on All-Star honors this year for the first time since 2012, he still posted strong numbers during the regular season, averaging 21.0 points, a league-leading 10.7 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game with a .441/.385/.867 shooting line in 58 appearances (36.8 MPG).
His playoff production was inconsistent — his overall averages of 20.3 PPG, 8.3 APG, and 6.2 RPG were solid, but he shot just 39.3% from the field during the postseason and averaged only 12.5 PPG in four losses to Boston.
Asked on Wednesday during his end-of-season media session about the possibility of retaining Harden for next season, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey told reporters, “We can’t have those discussions yet, but we are interested in bringing him back” (Twitter link via Derek Bodner of The Daily Six).
When Morey was asked if that would mean signing Harden to a new contract, he responded, “Well, that’s the only way to do it,” signaling that the 76ers had been planning for the 10-time All-Star to opt out even before Haynes‘ report.
My Prediction
4-year $180mm
Without Harden, Rockets GM Stone will never find a GM job again
He is the worst nba GM for the past 3 years
Green and Smith don’t meet the expectation
4th pick?
He will definitely be the worst GM if he gives Harden that contract!
Can he enlighten us what Rockets GM can do now?
no more tank
free agent star is not coming
players have little trade value
Draft picks 2024, 2025 and 2026 have been traded to Thunder
They will just have to use the picks they got from Brooklyn.
2 Nets picks is not enough
3 Nets swaps is fake
NBA needs to care about Houston, the 2nd biggest city in the West
Key word
Care
Rockets don’t need the 4th pick, they have poor player evaluation
Go rewatch every playoff game Harden has played for the 76ers…
Who is going to pay him that? SMH
I hope it’s anywhere but Philly
as a diehard 76er fan, I fully agree with you!!
Relax, bumpy. Trust the process.
“Basketball freedom” is kind of hilarious but I respect it. Get it, James!
every circus should have a ringleader
Philly should lock him up for 4 years @ max money.
As a non Sixers fan I agree lol
Misleading stat lines in article – shot 39% for series… shot 22% in the four losses!! Absolutely brutal, please don’t kill any remaining hope for the embiid era by signing this goof to a new deal.
To be fair, Embiid was almost as bad. And unlike Harden, he didn’t have any good games to rest his laurels on. But I agree, they look like a terrible fit together.
Embiid didn’t have one great game but most of his games were “good”. Harden won them 2/3 of their wins almost alone, but otherwise was a liability.
Maybe they should let them both go? Start the process over.
I fully endorsed this idea
Embiid was decent in 5 games and poor in the game7. Harden had 4 truly awful games in each of the losses which more than undermined his two elite performances. Embiid being “decent” is not good enough in the postseason by any means though
If they lose Harden they don’t have the cap space to sign anyone else, so for all intents and purposes the Embiid era will be hopeless as far as championships are concerned. Maybe he can beg for another MVP though.
They can send some assets to Houston for a sign and trade and create a $35M trade exemption.
GMs meeting with harden will have local strip club owners as partners to convince Harden of the freedoms and perks he can enjoy.
As a Rockets fan, I was intrigued by a reunion. But that “basketball freedom” line gave me PTSD of the dribbling until there was 3 seconds left on the clock and jacking up a step back 3 or passing to someone else to hoist it up with a second left.
Harden can go anywhere he wants
However, I just hope it’s anywhere but Philly
76ers’s got lucky with a nice rebound year
He came back this past season in shape.
He walked tall and looked good, but enough is enough
Couldn’t win in OKC with Durant and Westbrook. Couldn’t win in Houston despite all of the people brought in to go with him. Couldn’t win in Brooklyn with Durant and Irving. Couldn’t win in Philly with Embid and a rising star in Maxcey. Where can he win and with whom?
Obviously its not about winning anymore its where he can get money and from whom… and the number of strip clubs in the area
Lol the basketball freedom to be himself?! Because that has worked out so well for his teams in the past.
Self awareness in short supply in Philadelphia these days it seems.
10 years @ $3.56m is a long term deal
5yr 100m. 30-25-20-15-10.
The Shanghai Sharks can and will give all the “basketball freedom” in the world to Mr. Harden.
Do it James.
Why would anybody want this washed player. Moreyon and Harden both should’ve been gone before Rivers. He plays no D. And got NO legs left. Sixers process is about LOSING. As long they stay with these two money grabbers. Grifters who hustle as a Duo …..
Sixers process is about LOSING.
LOL
How many Championships have the Knicks won lately? Was Lincoln President the last time they won? Also MSG is where losers play! It’s a boxing arena.
I wouldn’t mind OKC or Hou throwing a 3 year non guaranteed 4th at Harden for no other reason than we could pretend free agency still existed for a day
Ofc I wouldn’t want to do that if I was OKC or Hou but the alternative of trying to actively lose (current gameplan) doesn’t really excite me either so why not mix it up and spike the punch bowl
Love how Houston is always thrown out there for Harden. It keeps Houston relevant as they trying to figure out this mess they have. I don’t want to see him in Houston at all. Lakers need him lol. Let LBJ and Harden lead the way!
Who’s gonna sign this cancer of a player? Uncoachable, plays no defense.
Whichever GM gives him 4 years is gonna be fired before the end of that 4 years..
Houston. Harden. Game 6 v Spurs. No. Just a big No.
nunzio1749
I would think the sixers would be doing cartwheels at this news
Hey Sixers! Can you say “addition by subtraction”?