Former Brooklyn Nets superstar James Harden is expected to return to the Philadelphia 76ers next season, according to Bleacher Report.
The outlets reported that all signs pointed to Harden returning to the City of Brotherly Love on a short-term contract extension as he continues to look for his first NBA title. Though it appeared that ownership in Philadelphia is hesitant to give the point guard a long-term extension, which includes a four-year max deal following his player option this season or the five-year contract he’d be eligible for if he declines his option this year.
Harden has a $47.7 million player option for this year, which he is expected to opt into, according to Bleacher Report.
Philadelphia acquired Harden from the Brooklyn Nets at the Feb. 10 NBA Trade Deadline in a blockbuster deal that sent Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, and Andre Drummond and draft picks to the Nets. Simmons didn’t play for the Nets due to injuries and Harden played to mixed results at times with the 76ers in the playoffs.
In the final two games of the Sixers’ playoff run, Harden averaged 12.5 points.
Curry and Drummond became big contributors for the Nets, with the big man helping to bolster Brooklyn down low and Curry helped become the sharpshooter that the team needed with Joe Harris out. Curry did deal with an injury that did force him to miss some time after he got to Brooklyn
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Harden ended up in Philadelphia after becoming disgruntled with the situation in Kings County. Rumors began to swirl that he had been unhappy with life in Brooklyn and the situation with Kyrie Irving, who missed a large chunk of the season because of his unwillingness to get vaccinated.
A deal was eventually completed just under the wire after days of speculation and reports that the Sixers and Nets had been trying to work out a trade.
