Report: Sixers expected to sign James Harden to shorter extension
When the Philadelphia 76ers made the big trade to acquire James Harden from the Brooklyn Nets, everybody knew this would be more than just the half-a-season heading into the 2022 offseason. The future Hall of Famer has a $47.4 million player option for the 2022-23 season and it was assumed he would pick that up.
The question then was what would his future in Philadelphia look like in the 2023 offseason? Harden did not look like his usual explosive self in the playoffs as he averaged 18.6 points and 8.6 assists while shooting 40.5% from the floor and 36.8% from deep. While those numbers are not bad by any means, they aren’t Harden-like.
Therefore, the Sixers have been hesitant on what to offer Harden past the 2022-23 season and there have been wonders about what his contract extension will look like.
Per Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, it looks like it will be a 2-year extension past the player option for Harden. All in all, he will be locked in for three years per Fischer:
Sixers ownership, though, has been resistant to the idea of giving Harden a full four-year maximum contract extension beyond his 2022-23 option season, sources told B/R, or the five-year deal that Harden would be eligible for if he chose to decline his $47.4 million player option for next season. Signing perhaps a two-year extension after his option season to create a new three-year framework would also provide Harden with greater optionality for his own career.
Fischer then detailed the money part of the extension for Harden. Since Philadelphia acquired The Beard back on Feb. 10, if he were to wait until Aug. 10, six months after the trade, to sign his extension, then he can earn more money.
Fischer details:
Until that six-month benchmark, Philadelphia would only be allowed to offer Harden 105 percent of his 2022-23 salary in the first year of a two-year extension, followed by a 5 percent raise for the second year, for a rough total of $149.3 million through 2024-25. If Harden waits until Aug. 10 to sign his extension, he could receive an 8 percent raise on the second year of the extension, which would net him a total of $150.8 million, according to cap calculations provided to B/R. If Harden opts out, the maximum he can earn on a new three-year deal would be $150.7 million.
Harden may not be the explosive scorer he once was with the Houston Rockets, but he still averaged 21 points, 10.5 assists, and 7.1 rebounds in 21 games with the Sixers. Those are nothing to sneeze at and the hope is that due to the fact that he was hampered by a hamstring injury, he will be able to come back even stronger and healthier in the 2022-23 season.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
List
Ranking the top 5 second-round picks in Philadelphia 76ers history
