The Sixers are “determined” to retain James Harden for the 2023/24 season, but there will be negotiating between the two sides and he likely won’t get a long-term max deal, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported on SportsCenter (YouTube link).
Wojnarowski also said the Rockets are worth keeping an eye on as suitor for Harden, as has been reported multiple times, but they have a number of other players they could pursue in free agency with their league-leading cap room.
Another possibility, according to Woj? A sign-and-trade deal, with Harden joining a new team that doesn’t currently have cap space. The former league MVP has a $35.6MM player option next season, he could simply exercise it if he wanted to as well, though that seems unlikely.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe recently said on his podcast that it’s no longer widely believed around the league that Harden will return to Houston, despite rumors linking him to his former club throughout the past season, while Marc Stein reported last week that the star guard was believed to be giving “renewed consideration” to the idea of remaining with Philadelphia.
Wojnarowski’s report is similar to what Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer recently wrote as well, with the Sixers being unwilling to overpay Harden on a long-term contract and the Rockets perhaps having the same reservations.
A 10-time All-Star who was the NBA’s scoring champion for three straight seasons (averaging 33.7 points over that span), Harden, who turns 34 in August, is no longer that type of scorer on a consistent basis, but he led the league in assists (10.7) for the second time in ’22/23, serving as more of a play-maker and secondary option behind Joel Embiid.
Overall, the veteran guard averaged 21.0 PPG, 10.7 APG, 6.1 RPG and 1.2 SPG on .441/.385/.867 shooting in 58 games (36.8 MPG). Those numbers declined to 20.3 PPG, 8.3 APG, 6.2 RPG and 1.8 SPG on .393/.378/.873 shooting in 11 postseason games (38.8 MPG).
Of course they are. Harden is the love of Darryl Morrey’s life
Do we need D.A.R.E to visit Houston’s headquarters?
Just say No! There’s not even the peer pressure of the joint being passed around the room and you having to shamelessly nod your head no back and forth. Just change your phone number, or even better the ol straight to voicemail trick works here!
The only thing currently that can hold back Houston from being a pretty formidable team here soon is its owns front office
They lose Harden and his salary slot, then they’ll take a big step backwards. Might be better for the team longer term to do that (between Harden and Harris expiring next year, they can reset the payroll). But no chance Morey wants that happening on his watch, as he probably won’t survive it.
Sixers are going to keep pushing their chips to the middle until they dont have any left. Until Embiid wants out basically.
Sixers have to do it. What’s their other option. No team is paying Harden what he wants. I think Sixers will get him at a fair price. Unfortunately …… Celtics got better. Heat will get better, like their pick too. Knicks will be better (a trade is coming). Nets will be better. And Bucks stay healthy they are the team to beat. So I don’t see them in top four. East is much deeper now, for yrs lols. Forgot about Cavs. They will be better too.
Funny thing now. Doesn’t it seem the Big man …… The Real Big man is coming back.
LOL “the Knicks will be better”
Been waiting several decades for that to come to fruition.
Don’t worry, nobody is holding their breath for a competent Knicks team
I like to give Big Al a hard time just like the next guy but I try to actually make sense when I do. The Knicks were more than competent last season. They won 10 games more than the prior season. They made the playoffs and even upset the Cavs before losing in 6 to the eventual Eastern Conference champs.
It stands to reason they’ll get better even without making a trade. With the exception of Brunson and Randle all the keys guys on the roster are under 25 and should get better as they mature and have more playing time together. They also have playoff experience at a young age. Like Al said they also have the ability to make a move with a lot of draft picks and their own young players, even if most of their 1st round picks are protected. All it takes is a disgruntled star wanting out of their current situation. We all saw what the Wizards for Brad Beal.
Yeah ask the Cavs. Take a breath YDF. It will help you get a thought.
76ers didnt follow the process, went into win now mode too fast and are now on the slippery slope that happens with old and often injured stars…
They have little choice but to sign Harden… A sign and trade would be better, but if Houston is the only option they aren’t getting much that will help Embiid…
An opt-in-and-extend isn’t an option for Harden, as it was for Porzingis, because Harden’s on a two year deal. Extensions are limited to contracts of three or more years.
Thanks. Fixed.
Of course the Sixers want him back, if he leaves the Sixers don’t have cap space to add an impact player anyway.
In Harden’s case, he got what he wanted when Rivers was fired. Embiid wasn’t overly happy about it, but he’s not the FA, Harden is. Losing Harden and having an unhappy Joel in the fold could be an absolute disaster for the Sixers.
Kings currently have $36mm cap room. If they dump Huerter salary, they have $52mm cap room.
Kings are the only playoff team that has big cap.
Lakers can trade DLo and other young talents for Harden.
IMO
The smartest GMs always sign and trade free agents and get first round picks in return.
What do they see in Harden?
If he was a few years younger….maybe
However, I just don’t like his game
That stupid chicken wing move of his
The problem is unless they get Kyrie Irving on a one year deal, they will be stuck with Harden
Harden has been good, not great, but good. Although he could be better if he got in better shape.
But the biggest issue is Harris. He never fit in well. He is a player that excels in a small ball lineup like when was in LA. I think Harris for John Collins would be a good trade for both teams, but hard to see conference competitors make that move. Harris could possibly get you Ayton if the Suns really want to move him. Maybe throw in some picks. It doesn’t get Phoenix out of his contract
Strange
76ers did not get rid of Korkmaz and House yesterday.
Stick with the book for $35mm tax?
It’s wild to me that MLB has their own Darryl Morey in Jerry Dipoto, just a guy who does nothing to earn their reputation but keeps getting hired and they keep doing the same stuff that leads to no title and leaves the team in ruins, only to do it again.
Morey at least got close to a title. I had to look up the other guy and that’s the craziest retread in sports. He must be great at interviews and/or partying with extremely rich people
Dealin’ DiPoto’s thing is he’s always making moves, which mystifies people I guess.
That’s too bad.
The 76ers had an ok run…
But the Process was meant to be about a large window of contention, not a near miss and middling playoff teams…
They’ve got no choice but to sign Harden to use that salary space… Filling out the roster around him and Embiid will be hard…
But they are in the East so anything could happen…
Who can predict that the #1 overall pick would forget how to shoot and that another #1 overall pick would refuse and be scared to shoot?
Sure an older Harden will get them over the hump! Wasting away Embiid’s years- sad
Morey has the green light to be aggressive, which is great in theory. But there are a few moves here.
1. Harden, either he opts in, or you give him a 3 yr deal – 30M, 25M, 20M. No one else that has cap space can give him more without a S&T. They need to play hardball. 3/75M take it or leave it.
2. They have no cap space whatsoever so they have to resign Niang, Bball, McDaniels, and possibly Shake.
3. They need to trade Korkmaz, House, and Springer either with Tobias or on their own to reduce their cap figure but still get a viable backup. Like Drummond or Muscala.
4. Turn Tobias and 2029 1st into 2 or 3 players – Bojan/Burks, Collins/Bogdan, Beasley/Vanderbilt/Bamba, Hield/Theis/McConnell, Shamet/Wright/Gallinari/Muscala something of that ilk.
5. MLE 12M… glaring need at SF. Barnes, Oubre, someone along these lines. Once options are declined or accepted there will be a clearer pool of FAs.
6. Vet Min guys to look at… Boogie, Biyombo, TJ Warren, Bryant, Ross, Morris…
Would add Daniel Green and Patty Mills to that vet min list. As well as Dillon Brooks.
This should be easy.
Identify the best strip club the city of brotherly love has to offer, buy time-shares of said club, then include these shares as incentives on Harden’s next contract.
James be signing that next contract really fast.
Move on Philly. Not worth the drama. After going to Vegas during playoffs this year shows his true colors as a teammate.
as a sister fan I want James Harden gone. I would also love to see Tobias Harris gone. I know they won’t trade Joel embiid but I wish they would go that way and just rebuild keep Tyrese maxey and start from there. just blow it up and start over
Uh, is anyone really pushing to get Harden?