C.J. McCollum gives thoughts on James Harden’s new Sixers contract
Free agency is right around the corner in the NBA, so it is time for the Philadelphia 76ers to figure out how they’re going to take care of James Harden while putting the right pieces around him and Joel Embiid.
It appears the Sixers will offer Harden a two-year contract extension after he picks up his player option for the 2022-23 season. That will keep Harden in Philadelphia for at least three more seasons, but how much money will he make?
The prevailing idea is the Sixers will give him roughly $150.8 million over the course of the three years, but New Orleans Pelicans guard C.J. McCollum joined ESPN’s “NBA Today” and said he believes Harden should leave some money on the table to help improve the team:
A very interesting point. We got a player here and talking about taking less money. You know, my saying is never take less from a billionaire, but I think in this situation, I think he will consider doing all he can to kind of make that team whole. Understanding that he forced his way out of Brooklyn. He thought it was a better situation in Philly playing alongside Embiid who arguably could have won MVP this season. So I think looking at the roster construction, looking at where he’s at in his career, how he plays now, he’s more of a facilitator, gets into the lane, likes to create for others. He definitely is going to want some players around him that kind of complement his strength which is to be more on the ball.
This might be the smart route at this point in Harden’s career. The star guard is not the same player he once was, although he is still an All-Star, and the Sixers should be focused on taking care of him while bringing in some good pieces to help both him and Embiid try and win a title in the 2022-23 season.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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