With just hours to go before the start of NBA free agency, James Harden has yet to strike a new deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. While he was great for them throughout the regular season, Harden was inconsistent in the postseason which follows a pretty obvious trend dating back to his early years with Houston.
For a player as inconsistent as Harden, one would think that the 76ers might hesitate to offer a max-level contract, but the latest report from HoopsHype’s Mike Scotto says James may end up signing for up to $50 million on a short-term deal with Philly.
“The closer free agency draws, the louder rumblings become that James Harden will re-sign with the Philadelphia 76ers,” wrote Scotto. “There’s been a recent belief that Harden could command an average annual salary of $40-45 million per year on a short-term deal from the Sixers after previously taking a discount with the Sixers to help the team land PJ Tucker.”
It’s easy to call that type of contract an overpay for Harden, who has yet to show he can deliver when it matters the most. But for a 76ers team with Joel Embiid in his prime, they cannot afford to lose Harden without a suitable replacement. This summer, maybe besides Kyrie Irving, there aren’t many players on the market who are objectively better.
Can The 76ers Win A Title With Embiid And Harden?
With little choice but to run it back, the 76ers have to hope that bringing in Nick Nurse will make a difference in their performance. As a champion with the Raptors, Nurse brings the kind of experience and notoriety that every top-level coach needs.
Even still, until Philly goes out and wins the title next season, there will always be questions about their ceiling as a team and how far they can go in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
“To be honest with you, I think Joel Embiid should want Harden to walk,” Kendrick Perkins said on First Take. “I think he deserves better than James Harden and if it comes down to Harden making the decision on who the coach is gonna be, I believe Joel Embiid should force his way out.”
Like it or not, Embiid and Harden are likely stuck with each other for at least a few more years. Let’s just hope that the Beard is able to live up to his massive price tag, or it could have some brutal consequences.
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