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James Harden will sign a two-year contract with a player option in the second season, according to the Philadelphia 76ers Schein Charnia. The deal represented a $15 million pay cut from the $47.3 million maximum salary he could have earned with his player option for that season. Harden arrived in Philadelphia at the close of trading to secure a blockbuster deal with the Brooklyn Nets for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and draft picks.
While his stint in Philadelphia got off to a good start, the season ended on a hugely disappointing note for the former MVP. His outburst seemingly deserted him after dealing with injuries and poor condition in Brooklyn, and in the team’s season-ending loss to the Miami Heat, Harden attempted just two shots in the second half as the 76ers eliminated on their home ground became. Considering his age (33 in August), many speculated that Harden didn’t even warrant a significant contract anymore.
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He’s still getting one, but the pay cut he’s taking will give the 76ers the flexibility they need to replace former Rockets teammate PJ Tucker for the mid-level non-taxpayer exception and Danuel House Jr. for the semi-annual exception to oblige. Many players talk a big game about sacrificing money to win. Harden actually does it here.
Of course, with this player option, he also earns an additional year of financial security. Both the Nets and Rockets offered Harden long-term extensions, but he declined on both fronts. That allowed him to find his way into the ’76s, and as his value plummeted, getting a multi-year deal, even at a slight discount, mitigated some of the risk of further decline.
The 76ers hope that Harden can hold off this decline a little longer. With Tucker and House joining a team that already had MVP nominee Joel Embiid, breakout star Tyrese Maxey and reigning Max player Tobias Harris, a healthy and committed Harden could still carry them deep into the playoffs. The 76ers have a brief title window ahead of them. Harden’s deal helps them maximize it.