NBA Insider Claims James Harden’s Option With Sixers Still in Play

Could James Harden pick up his player option with the Sixers instead of signing a multi-year deal?

When Thursday rolls around, James Harden will have to decide whether or not he’s going to pick up his player option for the 2023-2024 season. If Harden exercises the option, he’ll make $35.6 million for the season. If not, Harden will become an unrestricted free agent.

Last year, Harden was in a similar predicament. After getting traded to the Philadelphia 76ers from the Brooklyn Nets, the star guard had a player option that he didn’t pick up following the trade. At the end of the Sixers’ 2022 playoff run, Harden noted that he planned to pick up his option.

In the weeks leading up to the deadline, it was becoming clear that Harden was going to opt out and become a free agent. However, the expectation all along was that Harden would re-sign with the Sixers in free agency.

To the surprise of many, Harden re-joined the Sixers at a discount rate. He signed on for the 2022-2023 season and was offered a player option for 2023-2024. At the beginning of the offseason this time around, it was reported that Harden is expected to decline his option and hit the open market in search of a multi-year deal.

At the time, the overwhelming assumption was that Harden would return to the Houston Rockets on a multi-year deal. But throughout the course of the offseason, the narrative has shifted. Not only are Harden’s odds of returning to the Sixers increasing but apparently, declining the player option on the table is no longer guaranteed as the deadline nears.

"I'm told James Harden and his representatives have not made a decision yet on that $35.6 million player option that he would have to exercise by Thursday afternoon,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on Tuesday. "It gives him about two days now to figure out whether it makes more sense to decline it and then go into free agency where they can negotiate a new deal with the Sixers. Or look elsewhere, including the Houston Rockets."

It seemed Harden’s master plan was to sign a team-friendly contract with the Sixers last year, which allowed them to make more complementary additions for the 2022-2023 run in hopes of constructing a championship-caliber roster. And after a probable bounce-back season after two injury-riddled runs, Harden could cash out in free agency with another notable multi-year deal.

Unfortunately, the first plan was unsuccessful, as the Sixers lost in the second round of the playoffs for the third-straight season. While it’s not guaranteed Harden won’t see offers in the ballpark of a max contract from the Rockets or the Sixers this summer if he does decline the option, all signs are pointing towards both organizations being hesitant to pay up that price for the soon-to-be 34-year-old guard this summer.

With that being the case, Harden’s decision is no longer as easy as it once was. Although he might not get a contract offer in the max range, his value could trickle down from here on out. In the long-term, signing a multi-year deal this summer might be in Harden’s best interest. 

But if the veteran guard doesn’t see the Sixers as a long-term fit, then running it back for one more season could be an excellent idea for both parties. Harden would get one more crack at a championship run with a ready-to-win-now team, while the Sixers would get their assist leader back in the clubhouse to maximize Joel Embiid’s window without having to feel like they overpaid down the road. 

By Thursday, we’ll have a better idea of where the Harden-Sixers relationship is headed.