James Harden resigned with the Philadelphia 76ers for two years, $68 million with a player option in year two. Harden took a significant pay cut to allow the Sixers to make additional moves, such as signing P.J. Tucker.
Harden was traded to the Sixers last year after he found the situation in Brooklyn not as ideal as he would have liked it to be. The transition to Philly has started well despite the team’s early exit into the playoffs. A full year as a 1-2 punch with Joel Embiid will be an interesting test to see how far the Harden-Embiid combo can take the 76ers.
“This is where I want to be. This is where I want to win, and I think we have the pieces to accomplish that goal,” said Harden via team statement. “From my first day with the 76ers organization, the team and the fans have helped me feel at home here in Philadelphia. I’m excited to build off of last season, and I can’t wait to get out on the court with the guys and start this journey.”
Following his trade from Brooklyn, James Harden spent the final 21 games of the 2021-22 season in Philadelphia, where he averaged 21.0 points and 10.5 assists on 40.2 percent shooting from the field. The Sixers would go 13-8 in the 21 games that Harden played with the team last year and went down in six games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the Miami Heat.
The organization has mutual feelings with bringing Harden back, especially Sixers head coach Doc Rivers.
“I couldn’t be happier with James’ decision to commit to our organization,” Coach Doc Rivers said of Harden’s new deal via CBS. “Over the last two years, we have taken significant steps toward our ultimate goal of becoming champions.
The Sixers believe that Harden is the missing piece that can get them past the second round of the playoffs, something the team hasn’t done in 20 seasons. The Harden-Embiid pairing will now get an entire season together, and the Sixers hope that those two can one day deliver a championship to the organization.
