Getty LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers makes his way past James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Philadelphia 76ers are heading towards a potential make-or-break postseason, with contract decisions looming large in the City of Brotherly Love. None are greater than James Harden‘s future; the former MVP owns a player option this summer, and with the chance to earn a contract north of $200 million, odds are Harden will take the money and run.
But precisely where Harden gets the bag from remains another question entirely. On Christmas Day, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Harden still held an affinity for the Rockets, where he spent just over eight illustrious seasons.
But on the February 27 episode of the “KJM” show on ESPN, former NFL superstar Keyshawn Johnson suggested Harden would fit well on another Western Conference team: the Los Angeles Lakers.
“They’re looking for a certain thing in LA,” Johnson said. “LeBron (James) is looking for a certain thing in LA. And this thing might be a James Harden or a Kyrie Irving.”
Johnson also pointed to Harden’s roots as an LA kid as a potential storyline to keep an eye on. And a Los Angeles reunion wouldn’t be out of character for the Lakers, who just parted ways with former UCLA standout Russell Westbrook at the trade deadline.
“Could Harden wind up looking out West where he’s from? Could that be an opportunity for him? I mean, he is a Southern California guy,” Johnson said. “Does he fit with a LeBron James? I mean, he could certainly run the offense. He’s certainly a shooter. What does LeBron always like to have around him? Shooters. So, I mean, I wouldn’t shy away from it.”
Prior to joining the Arizona State Sun Devils for college ball, Harden played high school basketball in Lakewood, California.
Johnson Predicts Doomsday Fallout for Sixers
Much of Harden’s future likely depends on how far the Sixers go in the playoffs. Philadelphia, which hasn’t made a conference finals in over two decades, faces as much pressure as any team heading into this year’s postseason.
And as Johnson noted, the fallout from yet another early playoff exit could be massive.
“If (the Sixers) don’t advance far in the playoffs, I would think that (Doc Rivers‘) name will surface on being out there as potential firing,” Johnson said. “(Joel) Embiid probably be disappointed, maybe wanna get outta there and then you got James Harden who can walk.”
Embiid asking out of the only team he’s ever known would be a difficult pill to swallow. But if he did indeed request a trade, the two-time MVP runner-up would surely fetch a haul.
But what would be left of the Sixers after? If Embiid leaves, Harden almost certainly departs, as well. Tobias Harris will enter the final year of his mega-deal, making him an expiring veteran. PJ Tucker would also likely want to squeeze whatever playoff juice he has left in his career.
In the team’s worst-case scenario, it’s rebuilding from stage one, potentially around Tyrese Maxey.
Harden Encouraged to Stick with Sixers This Summer
While the folks at KJM were eager to discuss Harden’s fit in the purple and gold, one host also lobbied Harden against falling into the “grass is greener on the other side” trap:
“I never wanna tell grown people what to do, but when you’re the perfect Robin right now to the Batman as Joel Embiid, I don’t think James Harden is going to be chasing another team in terms of being the dude again. I’m not trying to get into a whole ego thing here, Key, because when you’re used to being the dude, and you gotta take a backseat, but he’s been able to do it,”
Nonetheless, the Lakers can potentially open up $40 million in cap space this summer, enough to land someone like Harden. The Sixers, on the other hand, can’t win a bidding war with much of anyone, be it the Lakers, Rockets, or otherwise.
The Sixers take on the Miami Heat tonight.