James Harden was one of the best shooting guards in the league during his prime, but he has switched to being more of a facilitating point guard in recent memory. This season with the Philadelphia 76ers, James Harden averaged 21.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and 10.5 APG.
There is potential for James Harden to become a free agent this offseason by declining his player option. However, a report by Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer suggested that James Harden will opt into the player option, while also signing a two-year extension with the team.
Source believe Harden will sign a two-year extension for less than the maximum after picking up that option.
James Harden is obviously still a fantastic player, but it is clear that he cannot be that No. 2 scoring option for the Philadelphia 76ers on a consistent basis. However, it is possible that this fact changes in the future, and if he has a bounce back season, that will definitely improve the Philadelphia 76ers’ chances of winning an NBA championship. Even if James Harden doesn’t regain his past form, it is quite possible that young guard Tyrese Maxey takes a step forward, and a core three of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and James Harden isn’t bad whatsoever, though obviously, some improvements to the roster would give them a better chance of contending.
The Philadelphia 76ers haven’t been able to get past the second round during Joel Embiid’s tenure, and hopefully, that ends up changing next season. It is quite unfortunate that Joel Embiid has not been able to play on the highest stage. He was an MVP-caliber player this year, at times putting up spectacular numbers. He’ll need James Harden to be the best version of himself possible next year, and hopefully, we see James Harden show us that he can still be a top-tier guard in the NBA.
