When the 76ers traded for James Harden last year, they thought they were getting a superstar and MVP-caliber player to hang alongside Joel Embiid. Instead, what they got was an alternate version of Harden, who is a pass-first player that struggles to maintain consistency.
In the playoffs, that identity continues to manifest on the court. After an inspiring performance in Game 1 against the Nets, Harden followed it up with just 8 points total in Game 2 on Monday, and it was a stinker that did not go unnoticed by the NBA critics.
“Playoff James Harden has surfaced. Through two games, 32% shooting, 15 a game, 4.5 turnovers, zero free throws. This is why I don’t trust him. If Harden has a bad shooting night, I don’t even wanna get into his defense… on his good nights he doesn’t play it. Zero free throws in two games. Because as we’ve said for years, you don’t get the whistle in the playoffs and so he’s not as effective. He’s always been a nightclub guy, a late-night guy, a not-as-committed guy, he’s got in and out-of-shape-guy. That’s fine, but look at how fast he has eroded over the last four years.”
"James Harden now is a glorified role player with a shoe deal and lots of fashion."
— @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/OLe0d2JMHm
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) April 18, 2023
Harden was having an excellent statistical season for the Sixers and even led the league in assists with 10.7 per game. It was partly due to his scoring and playmaking that the 76ers finished where they did, and many believed they could come out of the East with the way he and Embiid were playing to close out the season.
Now, his status as a superstar is being questioned, just like his long-term future in Philadelphia.
What Is The Future For James Harden And The Sixers?
Whatever happens this postseason, there is a lot of noise that Harden could split from the Sixers and sign somewhere else for his next contract. According to various reporters, the team wouldn’t even be that hurt if he jumped ship in the offseason.
“There are some in that organization who would not mind at all if Harden left,” an Eastern Conference executive told Sean Deveney of Heavy. “I don’t think he will, but he could, and even if he doesn’t, he is not going to get a real long deal from the Sixers. He is getting older, you don’t know how much of a commitment you want to make him.”
Regardless of what happens with James, the 76ers need to find the next star to pair with Embiid. Whether it’s a guy like Damian Lillard, Pascal Siakam, or someone else entirely, they cannot afford to waste another year of his MVP-like talent.
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