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Amid rumors linking James Harden to an exit from Philadelphia, the 76ers are still eyeing a contract “that makes sense in the short and long term for both sides,” according to John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Harden is expected to decline his $35.6 million player option for 2023-24 to become a free agent in search of a more lucrative deal this summer.
The Houston Rockets are viewed as one of the biggest competitors to the 76ers for Harden’s services.
Houston was once believed to be heavily interested in a reunion with Harden this summer, but ESPN’s Jeremy Woo reported this week that the Rockets reuniting with the veteran guard is “increasingly uncertain.”
The Rockets are projected to have $59.1 million in cap space this offseason, which would be more than enough to bring in Harden if they were keen on a reunion. However, adding the veteran wouldn’t make much sense as they are a young team on the rise and have been rebuilding since Harden initially left in January 2021.
Harden remaining in Philadelphia on a new deal seems far more likely as the Sixers have a far more competitive roster that can help him contend for a championship much faster than Houston will be able to.
The 2022-23 campaign was Harden’s first full season in Philadelphia, and he proved to be a solid asset alongside Joel Embiid. In 58 games, he averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 10.7 assists while shooting 44.1 percent from the floor and 38.5 percent from the floor.
The 76ers finished the season third in the Eastern Conference with a 54-28 record, their best finish since finishing first during the 2020-21 campaign. However, it became clear the franchise still needed to make some changes after it was eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Retaining Harden this summer should be a priority for the 76ers, though it’s unclear what type of contract the two sides would be open to in order to continue their partnership.
