NBA Insider: 'Indications' Are James Harden Returns to Sixers

ESPN's Brian Windhorst seems to believe the Sixers will get Harden back.

Will James Harden decline his player option with the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2023-2024 NBA season? Initial reports indicated that was the case after the Sixers dropped Game 7 against the Boston Celtics during the second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.

However, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Tuesday that Harden remains undecided. With a $35.6 salary for next season on the table, Harden looks to take his decision down to the wire, as the deadline is on Thursday.

As of Wednesday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst seems to believe that Harden will, in fact, decline his player option but makes it clear that doesn’t indicate the ten-time All-Star will pack his bags and leave Philadelphia in free agency.

.@WindhorstESPN weighs in on Harden's future with the 76ers:

"The indications are that James Harden is going to remain in Philadelphia." pic.twitter.com/WggFUxGHb8

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 28, 2023

“I don’t think just because he opts out of it, which I would expect him to do, it means that he’s leaving,” Windhorst said on ‘Get Up’ Wednesday morning. “He took a significant pay cut last year to help the Sixers build up that roster … Frankly, he’s in a little bit of debt based on his production. I expect the Sixers’ offer to be considerably higher, whatever number of years it is.”

Initially, it seemed Harden would decline his option, hit the free agency market, and land a notable contract with his former team, the Houston Rockets. As the offseason progressed, the Rockets kept their attention on some younger and notable free agents, causing the Sixers’ odds of retaining Harden to increase.

With the start of free agency just days away, Windhorst reports that all signs are pointing towards James Harden running it back in Philadelphia next season. 

“The indications are that James Harden is going to remain in Philadelphia,” the insider stated. “I would not say for sure it is a done deal, but those are the indications. Really it will come down to what sort of contract they negotiate.”

Harden isn’t expected to draw a max contract from any of his suitors, but it seems a four-year deal isn’t out of the question. Windhorst mentioned that he believes the Sixers would prefer a short-term deal, considering Harden still won’t come cheap at 33 years old, but Philadelphia could find themselves in a scenario where Harden is on the books for up to four seasons potentially.

A lot can change over the next few days, but all signs are pointing towards a Harden return to Philadelphia.