NBA Insider Offers Latest on James Harden as NBA Draft Passes

NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski offered the latest on James Harden's situation with the 76ers following the 2023 NBA Draft.

Soon, the Philadelphia 76ers will find out whether the James Harden-Houston Rockers reunion rumors were true or not. After hearing about their ten-time All-Star’s potential return to the organization where he developed into an NBA superstar all season long, the Sixers might’ve feared that Harden is as good as gone.

But with the 2023 free agency period approaching, the rumors suddenly simmered down. At this point, people around the league are becoming more bullish on the idea that Harden could make his way back to the Sixers, even if he declines his player option next week.

ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski recently discussed the latest discussions regarding Harden. As the Sixers made it clear they are going to prioritize getting Harden back in the mix, Wojnarowski talked about what it might take for Philadelphia to get the ten-time All-Star back.

The Latest on Harden

“They’re determined to keep James Harden, but it will be a negotiation and it’s probably not going to be just the traditional full max, long-term deal that he’s been able to command throughout his career. And then look to his former home in Houston, where they have a tremendous amount of salary cap space. There’s been a mutual interest in a possible return there. The Rockets have a lot of other options too in free agency as they build out their roster. There’s always sign-and-trade possibilities around the league. The ability to go to a team that doesn’t has salary cap space if they provide Philadelphia with assets if they go in that direction. … A lot can happen and I’m sure will happen before June 30. Certainly, there is a pathway back to a contender with the Sixers that I think perhaps, financially for James Harden, could make a lot of sense. A team with Nick Nurse as their new head coach certainly provides a backdrop for him to continue with a contender.”

Key Takeaways 

Before, it seemed the Sixers might have to back up the Brink's truck and offer Harden the full max. With the Rockets more hesitant to offer Harden all they can, the Sixers won’t need to go all-in just to win the negotiations, which is a great sign.

While Harden might not come at the same discounted rate this time around, they could get him a lot cheaper than initially expected, which is ideal from a financial standpoint. 

The Rockets have space to sign players that could make their team a more attractive landing spot in the eyes of Harden, who is searching for a win-now situation. But they also have other star players they could pivot to if all doesn’t go as planned on the Harden front for Houston. By no means is it a "Harden-or-Bust" situation for the Rockets.

Houston remains a threat to take Harden out of Philadelphia, but the narrative has certainly shifted in the last couple of weeks. Soon enough, Harden will make his final decision.