Former NBA MVP Is Still A Free Agent

NBA free agency is now on its fifth day on July 4, and the biggest name in free agency is still unsigned.

James Harden still remains as an unrestricted free agent, but he is expected to return to the Philadelphia 76ers, so there has not been much drama around his impending status.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on June 29 that Harden had opted out, but would likely be rejoining the team on a new contract.

The opt-out could go a long way in reshaping the Sixers’ bench, including that full mid-level exception, $4.1M bi-annual exception and sign-and-trades.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Wojnarowski: "ESPN Sources: 76ers star James Harden has declined his $47.3M option and become a free agent. He keeps real the possibility of negotiating a new deal that would deliver the Sixers roster-building flexibility in free agency – including use of the full $10.5M exception. The opt-out could go a long way in reshaping the Sixers’ bench, including that full mid-level exception, $4.1M bi-annual exception and sign-and-trades."

Chris Haynes of Yahoo! added that they met on July 2 in the Hamptons to discuss the new contract.

Free agent star James Harden is meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers today in the Hamptons to begin negotiating his new multiyear deal, league sources tell @YahooSports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 2, 2022

Haynes on July 2: "Free agent star James Harden is meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers today in the Hamptons to begin negotiating his new multiyear deal, league sources tell @YahooSports."

Harden was also seen out with P.J. Tucker who just joined the 76ers on a three-year deal (according to Shams Charania of The Athletic).

James Harden and P.J. Tucker are teammates once again

PJ showing how much he wanted to be back with James and the Sixers. With Meek Mill at Michael Rubin’s party in the Hamptons

🎥 @noahbeck pic.twitter.com/4vSkX4hmJ1
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) July 4, 2022

Free agent PJ Tucker is finalizing a three-year, $33.2 million fully guaranteed deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, his agent Andre Buck (@andrebuck14) told @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Charania on June 30: "Free agent PJ Tucker is finalizing a three-year, $33.2 million fully guaranteed deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, his agent Andre Buck (@andrebuck14) told @TheAthletic @Stadium."

Last season, Harden played for the Brooklyn Nets and was traded to the 76ers.

Prior to that, he played for the Houston Rockets (he won the 2018 MVP Award with them) and the Oklahoma City Thunder.