Getty Will James Harden and the Sixers want to face the Nets?
In the last moments of the February 10 NBA trade deadline, the Brooklyn Nets surprised everyone when they pulled the trigger on a trade that sent 10-time NBA All-Star James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers. In exchange, the Nets received 3-time NBA All-Star Ben Simmons, sharpshooter Seth Curry, elite rebounder Andre Drummond, and two first-round Draft picks from their Eastern Conference Rival.
Harden was traded to the Sixers with an expiring contract that ends next season. And after being eliminated in the second round, many were unsure of what was next for Harden and the franchise. Philadelphia seems to have made the final call on Harden. Jake Fischer of “Bleacher Report” says the team intends to ink him to a short-term extension once the free agency period opens.
“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,” Fisher writes per “Bleacher Report”.
“Harden and Sixers leadership are aligned on one clear directive, sources said: The franchise’s best opportunity to compete for a championship starring Joel Embiid, as well as Harden’s optimal opportunity to earn his first NBA ring, resides with Harden playing in Philadelphia for the foreseeable future.”
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Sixers Were Reluctant To Offer Harden a Max Extension
Although the Sixers went deeper in the playoffs than the Nets did, Harden’s performance in the 2022 postseason left a lot to be desired. He averaged 18.6 points, 8.6 assists and 5.7 rebounds in 12 playoff games with the 76ers.
Harden’s lackluster playoff performance had many people wondering what the franchise would do concerning the 32-year-old’s future. He is eligible to receive a max extension from the franchise, just as he was with the Nets last summer. Fischer says the Sixers brass was hesitant to offer the former Nets star a long-term deal.
“Sixers ownership, though, has been resistant to the idea of giving Harden a full four-year maximum contract extension beyond his 2022-23 option season, sources told [Bleacher Report], or the five-year deal that Harden would be eligible for if he chose to decline his $47.4 million player option for next season. Signing perhaps a two-year extension after his option season to create a new three-year framework would also provide Harden with greater optionality for his own career,” Fischer writes.
“In any scenario, Harden is expected to pick up his player option for the 2022-23 season, sources said, but the Sixers’ further financial commitment to him remains to be seen once the legal negotiating period begins.”
Paul Pierce Slams James Harden for Lack of Success
There were murmurs about a potential Harden trade in the weeks leading up to the deadline. Multiple reports suggested that he wanted out after it became clear Kyrie Irving wasn’t going to get the required vaccination to play Nets home games. But Celtics legend Paul Pierce says that regardless of his reason for demanding a trade, Harden still has to be held accountable for his actions.
“When it gets tough, guys want to get going, and I don’t get it, you know. You have this great opportunity to play for these great different franchises and one name that really comes to mind is James Harden,” Pierce said during an appearance on the “Hoop Genius Podcast” in May.
“All the teams that he has played for they have did everything they can to help him bring a championship. You know when he was in Houston, they got Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook. He had a chance to go to Brooklyn with KD and Kyrie. Just think about the talent he’s played with. Philly, Joel Embiid, you know ahh, and it just seems like he’s never happy.”
The story of the Sixers and Nets trade is still being written, so there is no clear winner yet. But with a healthy Ben Simmons and Seth Curry joining the roster next season, the Nets are well-positioned to be title contenders.
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