Harden Re-Signs With Philadelphia 76ers

Big NBA news this week is the upcoming return of James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Harden, currently a free agent, recently agreed to a two-year contract to the value of $68.8 million. This means he’ll be earning around $14.5 million less during the coming season than what he would have been earning under his former deal.

The 2018 MVP and 10-time All-Star guard was traded the Sixers ahead of last season’s deadline. Harden got traded as part of a massive deal that sent Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets.

The Bigger Picture Is Bright

But while Harden might lose earning capacity over the short term, he’ll certainly make up for that in the long run. Come next year, when he’ll once again have the option to enter free agency, he could end up earning as much as $46.5 million per year.

According to the star point guard, his decision to make his return to the team, and at a discounted rate, had been made in order to help his team win. Harden explained that during a conversation with team president Daryl Morey, he had informed Morey that he would be willing to accept whatever happened to be available once the roster has been improved.

Right now, a championship victory is the only accolade missing from the point guard’s impressive resume. While he has been to the conference finals four times over the course of his career, he has only made it to the NBA Finals once, with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012, who that year lost the title to the Miami Heat.

Harden Still The Cornerstone 

Thanks to the discounted deal accepted by Harden, the Sixers were able to add several promising names to their roster, including current G League MVP Trevelin Queen, Danuel House, and PJ Tucker.

But with or without the addition of a couple of healthy names, the fate of the franchise will ultimately continue to rest with Harden. Should the point guard not be at his best, the Sixers will have no hope of beating most other teams in a Playoff series scenario.

The good news is Harden seems to feel confident that he can look forward to a better season than last year. Commenting on a disappointing run last season, Harden said he had not been able to join a “new situation” as effortlessly as what he would have wanted to.

He added that he’s in a great space both mentally and physically right now, and that he’s more than ready to turn the ship around next season.