The Philadelphia 76ers are entering a very important NBA offseason. They made a big trade ahead of the deadline, acquiring James Harden from the Brooklyn Nets. Harden didn’t quite live up to expectations, which has led to a lot of questions about what the 76ers will do.
Harden has a player option worth $47.4 million next season. If he declines that, he will be eligible for a monster extension worth up to $269.9 million over as many as five years. Given the level that he performed at during the postseason, that is not a deal the 76ers can feel comfortable about handing out.
Already 32 years old and showing some decline in his game, the 76ers would be dooming their franchise by signing Harden to a deal of that size. He would quickly turn into the worst contract in the NBA and be an albatross for Philadelphia to deal with.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: 3 Dream Offseason Trade Targets For Philadelphia 76ers
Luckily for the Philadelphia 76ers, it doesn’t sound like they will have to deal with that. In a recent NBA intel piece over at Bleacher Report, Jake Fischer shared that Harden is expected to opt-in for the 2022-23 season and sign a short-term extension on top of it.
“Two weeks from the beginning of NBA free agency on June 30 at 6 p.m. ET, all signs point toward All-Star guard James Harden returning to the Philadelphia 76ers on a shorter-term contract extension, league sources told B/R.”
That is certainly good news for the 76ers, as the organization and Harden are seemingly on the same page. Both know the best path to a championship is this relationship extending a few more years, as Harden needs the 76ers as much as they need him.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: 3 Dream Offseason Trade Targets For Philadelphia 76ers
There has also been some talk of Harden taking less than the max on his extension, providing Philadelphia with more wiggle room to fill the roster out around him and Joel Embiid. That would be very helpful, as the 76ers are going to have to work out an extension for Tyrese Maxey in 2023 as well.
Joel Embiid, James Harden, and Tyrese Maxey are the Big 3 it looks like in Philadelphia. Once the Harden stuff becomes official, Daryl Morey will be tasked with reshaping the roster around them. More trades could very well be on the horizon, as the Philadelphia 76ers are shopping Matisse Thybulle, Danny Green, Tobias Harris, Shake Milton, and the No. 23 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
