According to Adrian Wojnarowski (ESPN), James Harden has exercised his option for another season with the Philadelphia 76ers. However, his goal is to look for a trading partner together with the team.
Harden is optioned for $35.6 million next season, fully guaranteed. However, as he only signed a two-year contract last year, he cannot yet sign an early contract extension. For a trade partner, Harden would only be under contract for a year. In 2024 he will then become a free agent.
So far, that doesn’t seem to deter the LA Clippers and New York Knicks: According to Woj, these two teams are considering a trade for Harden, among others.
Harden was traded from the Brooklyn Nets to Philly in February 2022, with Ben Simmons going to New York in exchange. Then last summer, Harden signed a two-year deal for a total of $68.6 million.
Harden apparently would have preferred returning to the Rockets to a trade. “Harden was interested in reuniting with the Rockets, who have 64 million in cap space,” writes Wojnarowski. “But Houston focused more and more on Fred VanVleet. Harden is confident of getting a contender trade.”
Harden averaged 21.0 points per game in each of his two seasons as a sixer, and he also led the league with 10.7 assists per game most recently. He hit 44.1 percent of his field shots and 38.5 percent from downtown.
However, the 33-year-old only played 58 games and also struggled with injuries in the playoffs. The Sixers were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the second round in the East.
2023-06-29 21:44:00
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