James Harden Exercises Contract Option With 76ers As Trade Rumors Swirl

Photo: Instagram/James Harden

According to reports, James Harden has decided to exercise his contract option for next season with the Philadelphia 76ers, who are currently exploring trade possibilities for the veteran scorer.

A source familiar with the situation revealed to The Associated Press that Harden informed the 76ers of his decision before the midnight deadline. The source spoke anonymously as the decision had not been made public yet.

While the 33-year-old could have become a free agent by declining the option, the Sixers had the advantage of offering him a lucrative four-year, $210 million deal, surpassing any other team's offer by $8 million. Although there is no certainty regarding a trade, the anonymous source stated that Harden expressed a desire to win a championship, something he has yet to achieve in his career, either in Philadelphia or with another competitive team.

Photo: Instagram/James Harden

Philadelphia's recently appointed coach, Nick Nurse, as well as his teammate Tobias Harris, had openly supported Harden's return to the team. However, it seems that the prospect of playing as the second option behind NBA MVP Joel Embiid and pursuing a championship in Philadelphia is now unlikely.

During the previous season, Harden led the league in assists with an average of 10.7 per game. However, his inconsistent offensive performance frustrated Sixers fans and contributed to their elimination in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs against the Boston Celtics.

Harden's scoring outputs varied greatly, with impressive performances of 45 and 42 points in Games 1 and 4 victories respectively, while also having struggles such as going 0 for 6 on three-pointers in Games 2 and 6. He scored only nine points in Game 7 and failed to score in the second half.

While Harden had thrived as a primary scorer in Houston, he has taken a more deferential role to Joel Embiid with the Sixers. If the team fails to re-sign Harden, they could encounter difficulties due to limited salary cap space, making it highly improbable to attract a quality free agent, especially one of Harden's caliber.

Consequently, the Sixers will now focus on acquiring assets through a trade, a pattern that has been a significant part of Harden's career. If a trade occurs, Harden would have to play under his 2023-24 contract as per NBA rules and would become eligible for free agency after the upcoming season.

Harden, a 10-time All-Star and a member of the league's 75th anniversary team, has been involved in previous trades, notably departing from Houston and Brooklyn. In the previous season, he declined his $47.4 million player option with the 76ers and instead agreed to a two-year deal worth $32 million for the 2022-23 season, including a player option for the following season.

This decision resulted in him earning approximately $14.5 million less than his previous contract would have provided.

Read Next: Ja Morant's Attorneys Claim Self-Defense In Motion To Dismiss Civil Suit By Teenager

Source: NBA 

Comments

Post a Comment

Trending Now

Liam Payne's Cause of Death Revealed In Preliminary Autopsy

Image
Photo: Liam Payne (Instagram) Liam Payne , former member of the boy band One Direction, passed away after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  A preliminary autopsy has revealed that he died from severe injuries and both internal and external bleeding. Payne, 31, fell from the CasaSur Palermo Hotel balcony on Wednesday. He reportedly fell from about 43 to 46 feet onto an internal patio. According to authorities, Payne was alone at the time, and there is speculation that he may have been experiencing a drug-related incident. Photo: Liam Payne (Instagram) A hotel staff member had called emergency services before the fall, expressing concern about Payne's condition. They mentioned that he had taken drugs and alcohol, and they were worried he might harm himself. Payne rose to fame with One Direction in 2010 after the group formed on the TV show The X Factor . After the band split in 2015, Payne pursued a solo career, with his most popular song being "Strip Tha
Read More

Former One Direction Singer Liam Payne Dead at 31 After Fall In Argentina

Image
Photo: Liam Payne (Instagram) Liam Payne, former member of the boy band One Direction, has died at the age of 31. Payne was found dead at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after falling from his balcony, according to local officials. Police responded to an emergency call about a man behaving aggressively, possibly under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Shortly after they arrived, Payne was found in the hotel courtyard, having fallen from a height of about 42 to 45 feet. Emergency services confirmed his death shortly after 5 p.m. Alberto Crescenti, head of Argentina’s emergency medical services, said the injuries were severe and could not be survived. Authorities are investigating the circumstances, including whether Payne’s fall was accidental or intentional. Photo: Liam Payne (Instagram) Payne had been in Argentina recently, supporting his former bandmate Niall Horan at a concert. He leaves behind a 7-year-old son, Bear, whom he shares with singer Cheryl Cole. Li
Read More

Travis Kelce Predicts Criticism if Chiefs Lose, Mentions Taylor Swift

Image
Photo: Travis Kelce (Instagram) Travis Kelce , the star player for the Kansas City Chiefs, says he expects people to criticize him and Taylor Swift if his team loses a game. On his podcast "New Heights," Kelce shared his thoughts about the pressure that comes with being undefeated.  He said that if the Chiefs lose, people will come down hard on him. "I've just got to keep winning," he said. "If we lose a game, it’s going to rain down on me." The Chiefs are currently 5-0 and are set to play the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday, in a rematch of Super Bowl LVIII.  Despite some injuries, the team is doing well, and Kelce has faced some early criticism for a slow start . However, Pat McAfee, a former NFL player and podcast guest, praised Kelce and his relationship with Taylor Swift. McAfee said it was great for the sport and called Kelce a perfect example of how to represent the NFL. Photo: Travis Kelce (Instagram) Taylor Swift has been seen at three of the
Read More

Liam Payne’s Net Worth And Heartbreaking Promise To His Son

Image
Photo: Liam Payne (Instagram) Liam Payne , former One Direction star, built a huge fortune before his tragic death . The singer had a net worth of about $105 million (US$70 million). Most of this came from his music career, both with One Direction and as a solo artist. He also owned several businesses. The 31-year-old singer passed away on October 16 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. According to emergency responders, he fell about 13 to 14 meters and suffered serious injuries . Earlier reports mentioned that police were called to the hotel due to his aggressive behavior and possible substance use. Payne leaves behind his 7-year-old son, Bear Payne. In a past interview, Liam emotionally shared his plans to leave his entire fortune to Bear. “My life now is his, my money is his,” he said, adding that he had set up businesses for his son to manage or sell when he's older. Photo: Liam Payne (Instagram) Liam became a father at 23 with his then-partner, Cher
Read More

Liam Payne Regretted Negative Comments About One Direction Bandmates

Image
Photo: Liam Payne (Instagram) Liam Payne , former member of One Direction, expressed regret over harsh comments he made about his bandmates before his unexpected death at 31 on October 16. Payne had criticized Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson in a 2022 podcast interview with Logan Paul .  However, in July 2023, Payne apologized in a YouTube video, explaining his remarks were due to frustration with his career. He also shared that he spent 100 days in rehab to work on himself. "I took shots at everybody else, which was wrong," Payne said, adding that his bandmates helped him when he needed it most. Photo: Liam Payne (Instagram) In a 2019 interview, Payne opened up about relying on alcohol to cope with the pressures of fame. While he had great memories with the band, he admitted that their relationships sometimes felt "a little bit toxic." Despite this, Payne remained grateful for his time with the group. Payne had mixed feelings about Zayn M
Read More

Beterbiev Ordered To Face IBF Mandatory Challenger

Image
Photo: Artur Beterbiev (Instagram) Artur Beterbiev has been told he must defend his IBF light-heavyweight title against his mandatory challenger. This announcement comes just one day after Dmitry Bivol asked for an immediate rematch with Beterbiev. Beterbiev, 39, became the first boxer to hold all four major belts in the light-heavyweight division after winning a close fight against Bivol on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The judges scored the match 114-114, 115-113, and 116-112 in favor of Beterbiev, a decision that has faced criticism from Bivol's promoter, Eddie Hearn, and manager, Vadim Kornilov. Bivol, 33, has formally requested the support of the WBO, WBA, IBF, and WBC to help him secure a rematch. However, the IBF has now ordered Beterbiev to start negotiations with German fighter Michael Eifert, who is the mandatory challenger. Photo: Artur Beterbiev (Instagram) This does not mean a rematch is off the table. The IBF has stated that Beterbiev can ask for an exception to f
Read More

Francis Ngannou’s Coach Responds To Illegal Shot Claims After KO Win

Image
Photo: Francis Ngannou (Instagram) Francis Ngannou made a big return to MMA last night with a first-round knockout against Renan Ferreira . The fight was intense, with Ngannou using powerful ground-and-pound to finish Ferreira. However, there’s controversy over whether some of Ngannou's punches hit the back of Ferreira’s head, which is illegal in MMA. Some fans on social media argue that Ngannou should have been disqualified for these strikes. But Ngannou’s coach, Eric Nicksick, doesn’t think the punches were illegal. He said, "I didn’t even hear or see any of that." Nicksick also believes the fight could have been stopped earlier because of the damage Ferreira was taking. Nicksick explained that he thought the referee, Dan Miragliotta, should have stopped the fight when Ngannou started landing heavy blows. He joked, "This guy must owe Dan money," referring to the fact that the fight went on longer than expected. Photo: Francis Ngannou (Instagram) Before the kn
Read More

How Taylor Swift Helped Save The U.S. Grand Prix

Image
Photo: Taylor Swift (Instagram) In 2015, the future of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, was in doubt. Heavy rain from Hurricane Patricia made the race weekend difficult, and fewer fans showed up.  With attendance dropping and state funding cut, the event was struggling. Circuit of the Americas (COTA) chairman Bobby Epstein needed a way to bring more people to the race. In 2016, Swift agreed to perform a concert after the qualifying races. It was her only live show that year, and it drew in 80,000 fans. This boosted ticket sales and brought new energy to the event. A three-day pass to the race, including Swift's concert, started at $150. It was a big success, helping the race weekend attract nearly 270,000 people, more than the previous year. Photo: Taylor Swift (Instagram) The concert wasn’t just about getting more fans to the race. It also brought a new audience—young people, more women, and families. This helped change the type of fans that came to watch Formula One
Read More

Dodgers' Big Spending On Ohtani And Yamamoto Could Pay Off Tonight

Image
Photo: Shohei Ohtani (Instagram) The Los Angeles Dodgers spent a whopping $1 billion to sign two of baseball’s biggest stars: Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto . Tonight, the team hopes to see a return on that investment. With Yamamoto pitching and Ohtani leading the offense, the Dodgers are just one win away from the World Series. They lead the National League Championship Series 2-1 against the New York Mets, after crushing them in two earlier games with scores of 9-0 and 8-0. Ohtani, who hit a huge home run in the last game, has had a bit of a rough postseason, batting only .226. But teammates like Mookie Betts aren’t worried. “He’s the best player on the field every day,” Betts said, urging fans to relax. “It’s Shohei. It’s fine.” Photo: Shohei Ohtani (Instagram) As for Yamamoto, his teammates believe he’s ready for the pressure. “Yoshi is a big-game pitcher, and his stuff makes him one of the best pitchers in the world,” said backup catcher Austin Barnes. If the Dodgers win t
Read More

Renan Ferreira Speaks Out After Tough KO Loss To Francis Ngannou

Image
Photo: Renan Ferreira (Instagram) Renan Ferreira , the 6'8" Brazilian MMA fighter, shared a positive message with his fans after a brutal knockout loss to Francis Ngannou during the PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants on Saturday night. Ferreira had been favored by many to pull off an upset, but the fight quickly turned in Ngannou's favor. Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, took Ferreira to the ground and landed several powerful strikes, leading to the knockout. Fans watching feared for Ferreira, especially after he took 15 unanswered hits before going limp. However, Ferreira eased concerns with a cheerful social media post the next day. On Instagram, Ferreira posted a video from his bed, smiling and saying, “Haha, we’re back! Thank y’all for the love.” In the video, he spoke in Portuguese, admitting it was a tough night but said he was proud of his efforts. Photo: Renan Ferreira (Instagram) “Yesterday wasn’t a good day at work,” Ferreira joked, “but I’m happy
Read More