Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden is expected to hit the open market this summer. The two teams that have been mainly linked to Harden are the Sixers and Houston Rockets. However, there are recent reports that the Rockets aren't as interested as many thought they were originally. Honestly, it all comes down to what length of deal the 33-year-old is looking for in free agency. The Sixers don't want to hurt their future by giving Harden a four-year deal. Everyone has seen Harden's struggles in the postseason, so the Sixers don't want to make the big of a commitment. However, it sounds like the organization feels optimistic that Harden will sign a shorter deal in possibly the one or two year range. Realistically, returning to Philly is probably going to be Harden's best chance at competing for a championship next season.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden has been heavily linked with a return to the Houston Rockets, but he is now apparently seriously considering remaining with his current team. "There have been some rumbles this week that, despite the undeniably strong lure that a return to Houston holds for Harden, he is said to be giving renewed consideration to staying put," writes Marc Stein on his Substack. The 33-year-old has a big decision to make in a couple of weeks' time when free agency begins. He has a player option for next season but is expected to opt out of it to sign a longer deal.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden is expected to opt-out of the final year of his deal and test free agency this summer. The 33-year-old will be one of the bigger names available in free agency, but that doesn't mean Harden will have a lot of suitors. In fact, it sounds like the 76ers and Houston Rockets are the two main teams interested in Harden. However, reports are that the Rockets are unsure about bringing back Harden. This team is multiple pieces away from contending. Harden is going to command $45-50 million per season, which means the Rockets won't be able to do much else in free agency. That being said, the Rockets might lean towards signing a handful of veterans over Harden. Going back to the Sixers might be Harden's best chance at getting a significant payday while also contending for a title.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, guard James Harden is expected to either re-sign with Philadelphia or return to Houston. While the update provides some clarity on Harden's future, nobody will know for sure until at least July. The 33-year-old finished the 2022-23 campaign by averaging 21.0 points, 10.7 assists, and 1.2 steals. He also shot 38.5% from deep, the second-high mark of his career. However, Harden has battled injuries over the years, recently suiting up for only 58 games last season. That said, the veteran likely has a few potent seasons left in the tank, although he'll probably never re-enter the MVP conversation.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden still has to make a big decision this off-season and the team's new head coach is going to make his pitch. During his introductory press conference, Nick Nurse said that he hopes Harden will return and run it back alongside Joel Embiid. Nurse also said that they offer him the best chance at winning it all. There have been a lot of conflicting reports on Harden's train of thought, so it was only a matter of time until Nurse was asked about it. The silver lining if Harden does walk away is the rumor that Fred VanVleet could be his replacement after some salary cap gymnastics.

The Philadelphia 76ers are looking at Toronto's Fred VanVleet as a potential replacement for James Harden, reports NBA insider Brett Siegel. Harden has a $35.64 million player option for next season, but it's widely believed that he will decline it and could see his future away from Philadelphia. VanVleet also has a player option for next season and is expected to opt out of it to become an unrestricted free agent. The 76ers have just hired VanVleet's former coach Nick Nurse and the 29-year-old guard could be very interested in a reunion after the pair worked well together in Toronto, winning a championship in 2019. However, Siegel adds that Philadelphia's financial situation means that the club will have to do a lot of maneuvering if it wants to sign VanVleet outright.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden could be headed elsewhere next season. The 33-year-old is eligible for a four-year, $200-plus million deal this offseason. Recent reports are saying the Sixers aren't motivated to sign Harden to a mega deal. That's not shocking considering the disappointing way the 2022-2023 season ended for Philly. The organization could decide to head in a different direction that doesn't include Harden. A reunion sounds possible, but the Sixers don't appear to be eager about giving Harden the max. It remains to be seen if other organizations are willing to do so.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden had a disappointing end to his 2022-2023 season, but it's unlikely to hinder his value this summer. The veteran guard could reportedly land a four-year, $200-plus million deal. The Sixers are only able to offer Harden $210 million and other teams can offer slightly less than that. The 33-year-old is rumored to be interested in a reunion with the Houston Rockets. This is likely going to be a storyline all offseason long, but it sounds like Harden is going to get a significant deal regardless of where he goes.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden has been linked to the Houston Rockets for a while now after the initial rumors of him returning to the franchise that allowed him to grow into his MVP form. After saying that he wanted "a chance to compete" and rumors of the Phoenix Suns entering the mix, the stronger whispers seem to indicate that he will make his return to the Rockets. According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, when the Rockets conducted their interviews for head coach, candidates were asked about their thoughts on coaching James Harden. The Philadelphia 76ers' offseason direction will be heavily influenced by how true these reports are.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden is after a four-year deal in the offseason, per NBA insider Chris Haynes. Harden has a $35.6 million player option for next season, but he is expected to turn it down in order to get himself a final big paycheck ahead of his 34th birthday. Harden has been linked with a return to Houston, but league sources have told Hayes that he will only consider suitors that have a competitive roster and are willing to give Harden the basketball freedom for the veteran star to be himself.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden might be heading to Phoenix, reports Brian Geltzeiler of NBA TV. The Beard has been heavily linked with a return to Houston, but according to Geltzeiler, the Suns are also on Harden's radar. The 33-year-old has a $35.6 million player option for next season, but he is expected to decline it and try to get himself a longer deal. According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, Harden is unlikely to return to Philadelphia if Doc Rivers stays on as head coach. Rivers has two more years left on his contract.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden had a very disappointing finish to the season in the second-round series against Boston and could be moving on in the offseason. "I just want to have a chance to compete," Harden said after Sunday's shocking Game 7 blowout loss to the Celtics. Harden has a $35.6 million player option for next season, but he has been heavily linked with a return to Houston throughout the season. The veteran star has just completed his 14th year in the league. He led the league with 10.7 assists per game and averaged 21.0 points with 6.1 rebounds before having a very inconsistent 11-game postseason run.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden and center Joel Embiid had poor showings in Sunday's Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics. Harden and Embiid combined for just 24 points on 8-for-29 shooting from the field and committed nine total turnovers. The Sixers were knocked out of the second round yet again and have a lot of decisions to make this offseason. Harden described his relationship with head coach Doc Rivers as just "okay" which is not the greatest sign given he could enter free agency. The Sixers will have to take a good look at their roster to see if the tandem of Harden and Embiid have enough to bring home the trophy.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden had a double-double in Tuesday's playoff victory over Boston. He finished with 17 points, going 4-for-8 from the field and 1-for-2 from deep. He also shot 8-for-10 from the charity stripe, adding 10 assists, eight rebounds, and two steals. The 33-year-old has played relatively well, scoring 42 points or more in two of the five games in this series. Although Joel Embiid should remain the primary offensive option, Harden can be nearly as productive.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden was unstoppable Sunday as he led the Sixers to a series-saving win over the Boston Celtics. Harden hit the go-ahead three-pointer with about 18 seconds left in overtime which ended up being the game-winner. Harden finished with a game-high 42 points, nine assists, eight rebounds, six threes, four steals and a block in 47 minutes. Harden's three has now tied up the series 2-2 as they travel back to Boston for Game 5 on Tuesday.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden finished with 16 points in the postseason loss to Boston on Friday. The veteran struggled shooting in this one, going 3-for-14 from the field and 2-for-7 from deep. He also had five turnovers. Fortunately, Harden had 11 assists, six rebounds, and went 8-for-9 from the charity stripe. After Harden scored 45 points in Game 1, he's cooled off in the last two games. Although the return of Joel Embiid is a big reason why his scoring output has declined, his shooting percentages need to improve.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden cooled off in Wednesday's postseason loss to the Boston Celtics. He dropped 45 points in Game 1 on Monday. However, things were different in Game 2, with the 33-year-old finishing with only 12 points. While he did have a double-double, he shot 2-for-14 from the field and failed to make any of his six tries from deep. Harden was more productive with Joel Embiid (knee) off the floor. But with Embiid back in the picture, Harden may not be as effective through the remainder of the series, which is something for DFS managers to consider.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden finished with a game-high 45 points in Monday's postseason win over Boston. Joel Embiid (knee) didn't suit up for this one, so the former MVP put on a show, going 17-for-30 from the field and 7-for-14 from deep while adding six assists and two steals. This was the type of performance Philly needed from Harden, who averaged 17.3 points entering Game 1. Embiid may return for Game 2 on Wednesday evening. However, Harden should draw serious DFS consideration, regardless of the big man's status.

Philadelphia 76ers stars Joel Embiid and James Harden found themselves in the middle of some highly debated flagrant fouls on Thursday night. Embiid was assessed a flagrant 1 for kicking Nicolas Claxton from the ground and just barely missing his groin area. Harden threw an inadvertent forearm into the groin of Royce O'Neale and was ejected from the game after receiving a flagrant 2. The NBA has decided not to hand down any further punishment after the fact according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Both players will be available for Game 4.

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden and the Houston Rockets have been linked over the past season or so with rumors of him returning to where he once spent his prime years. As long as he declines his player's option for the 2023-24 season, the Rockets are widely expected to pursue him in free agency. There still seems to be a lot that needs to happen to make the team a championship contender, but bringing Harden back to help mentor some of the young talent seems to be at the top of the list for the front office.