James Harden has become a free agent, but he is likely to return to the Philadelphia 76ers following some tingles in his contract.
Philadelphia 76ers star player James Harden has opted out of his $47.3 million contract and is now a free agent. He joined the 76ers last season following a trade from the Brooklyn Nets.
Harden keeps open the door to a new contract that would give the Sixers freedom to assemble their squad in free agency, including the right to utilize the entire $10.5 million exception.
According to ESPN, James Harden has expressed his desire to assist the franchise in reshaping the roster toward championship contention in great detail in his meetings with the team since the end of the season.
The opt-out, together with the full midlevel exception, the $4.1 million biannual exception, and sign-and-trade agreements, could significantly alter the Sixers’ bench. Harden is fully committed towards winning a championship, which is why he is likely to agree on a contract with less money.
James Harden was part of the Ben Simmons trade last season. He came to Philly, and fans were very excited about the future of their team. However, that didn’t go well, as Miami knocked them out in the 2nd round of the playoffs.
The 76ers are likely to bring in reinforcements next season and make a push towards the championship. With Harden likely to sign a new contract with less money, it’ll allow the franchise to sign some solid players who can make an impact on the team.
According to Shams Charania of the Athletic, “Multiple sources said (James) Harden returned to his workout and on-court regimen much sooner than usual this offseason, and has been ramping up his conditioning and training as the summer progresses.”
Harden is fully focused on winning the first championship of his career. His commitment towards the team is quite applaudable. Hopefully, the 76ers can get things right.
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