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Philadelphia 76ers superstar James Harden's future remains uncertain as the superstar guard has a player option for next season. The franchise is also unsure about signing Harden to a long-term. Their uncertainty stems from his form in the recently concluded postseason and his hamstring issues.
According to Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer, the franchise and the player must find a middle ground. This appears to be a short-term deal after Harden opted into his player option for the 2022-23 season.
O'Connor said:
"I’ve been told that (Sixers) ownership wants him to opt into the $46.9 million deal for the 22/23 season, which no surprise. I’ve been told Morey he wants that to be a three-year deal."
James Harden will be turning 33 this year. Considering his age and his drop in production, the organization is taking a calculated approach.
How important is Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers?
James Harden had a terrific start to his career with the Philadelphia 76ers. He has taken to the team like a duck to water. He has seamlessly gelled with the likes of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey and has put up very good numbers with his new team.
However, in his last 15 games of the regular season, he averaged less than 21 points per game and shot less than 29% from the perimeter and 38% from the field.
One of the greatest scorers the game has seen, James Harden was an unstoppable machine during his nine seasons with the Houston Rockets. However, he was also a great facilitator, and the Philadelphia 76ers need the perfect combination of both for their championship aspirations.
What makes Harden great is his ability to be a quintessential point guard and also a scoring machine who can excel in one-on-one situations. He has run the pick and roll with Joel Embiid incredibly well, and that will be the biggest offensive weapon for the 76ers going into next season.
Harden's performances in the postseason were below his usual numbers as the guard averaged 18.6 points and 8.6 assists per game. He shot the ball better than 40% from the field and less than 37% from the perimeter. Along with this, he averaged 4.2 turnovers on a nightly basis.
The 76ers have gambled big time on Harden as they have given away arguably the best defender in the league (Ben Simmons) and a sharpshooter (Seth Curry). While Harden is a liability defensively, he has the offensive prowess to overcome that, and that is what the 76ers are counting on for next season.
