Author: Monojit Mandal
According to Bleacher Report, James Harden, the Philadelphia 76ers’ standout point guard, has opted to decline his $35.6 million player option and enter free agency this summer. The 33-year-old, who has been selected for the All-Star game 10 times, is looking for a four-year contract with a team that has a competitive roster and allows him to express himself on the court.
Harden demonstrated his skills in the 2022-23 season, with 21.0 points per game, a league-leading 10.7 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game in 58 games. There are also rumors of a return to his previous team, the Houston Rockets, but the report indicates that a long-term deal with the Philadelphia 76ers is the most likely.
The Philadelphia 76ers have just been beaten in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals by the Celtics. As a result, they made the decision to fire coach Doc Rivers. This act led Harden to express his apprehension about returning to the club if Rivers remained in charge, as he stated on Instagram after ESPN broke the news.
Throughout his 1,000-game career, which included stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Rockets, Brooklyn Nets and 76ers, Harden averaged 24.7 points, 7.0 assists and 5.6 rebounds. He readily acknowledged a huge pay cut last summer after joining the Sixers from Brooklyn to help build a competitive team. He agreed to sign a two-year US$68.6 million contract, with a player option, for the 2023-24 season.
As the 76ers finished 3rd in the Eastern Conference regular season standings, re-signing with Philadelphia seems to be the best option for Harden. However, now that Doc Rivers is no longer in charge, the team’s chemistry will probably evolve, perhaps affecting the club’s intentions for next season.
If the Houston Rockets want to lure Harden back to the Toyota Centre, considerable rebuilding measures will be required. With players like Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun, as well as the fourth overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, the Rockets have a strong young core. Despite finishing bottom of the Western Conference standings after Harden’s departure for the Nets in the 2020-21 season, Houston managed to overtake the San Antonio Spurs this season, despite both teams having indistinguishable 22-60 records.