76ers’ James Harden Enters Critical Offseason Frustrated

Throughout the 2022-2023 NBA season, James Harden’s future with the Philadelphia 76ers has come into question on multiple occasions. It all started on Christmas Day, hours before the Sixers tipped off against the New York Knicks.

As Harden was linked to his former team, the Houston Rockets, it became clear that the star guard might consider a reunion at some point in the future.

Christmas Day wasn’t the last time Harden was linked to the Rockets, as several reports indicated he could consider a return to Houston over the 2023 offseason. Some suggested that Harden’s future could depend on how the rest of the Sixers’ season plays out.

At the end of the regular season, the Sixers finished in third place. They picked up a first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets, which resulted in a sweep in favor of Philadelphia.

In the second round, the Sixers took on the second-seeded Boston Celtics and went to battle with the reigning Eastern Conference Champions for seven games.

At times, Harden dominated in the series, scoring over 40 points in two of the Sixers’ wins. However, he had plenty of struggles during the series as well, especially during the Sixers’ Game 7 matchup on Sunday.

In a game that could’ve sent the Sixers to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2001, Harden and his teammates struggled to get the job done.

On a personal note, Harden shot 3-11 from the field, scoring just nine points. He also racked up seven assists and six rebounds while turning the ball over five times.

As a team, the Sixers averaged 37 percent from the field and hit on just 22 percent of their threes. During the do-or-die matchup, the Sixers were slaughtered 112-88.

To no surprise, Harden was asked about his future with the Sixers’ organization following the game. The veteran guard claimed he hadn’t put much thought into it just yet.

“I haven’t even thought about it,” Harden told reporters.

While Harden will have a lot of thinking to do over the next few months regarding his future, he enters the offseason with a bad taste left in his mouth from the way the Sixers concluded the playoff run.

“I’m very, very disappointed,” said Harden. “Very frustrated. It’s a lot I want to say, but it’s frustrating.”

After declining his player option during the 2022 offseason, Harden returned to the Sixers on a one-year deal that had another player option attached. If he picks up the option for the 2023-2024 season, Harden will make over $35 million for the year.

Considering all of the rumors about a potential departure from the Sixers and the fact that Harden considered the 2022-2023 run a season of sacrifice as he took a pay cut, many expect Harden to decline his player option and seek out a new contract. Whether that will be with the Sixers or not is a different story.

For what it’s worth, Harden mentioned that he wants a chance to compete beyond this season. While he leaves the 2023 playoff run frustrated and disappointed, he did have somewhat of a positive outlook on the Sixers.

“I feel like we got a pretty solid team,” Harden said. “Obviously, we’ll always look to get better, you know what I mean? Whether it’s the personnel you have now or adding pieces. We’ll see how that goes. … We’re a really good team. We were a couple of shots away from being in the Eastern Conference Finals.”

It’s unclear what's next for Harden at this time, but the veteran guard will have to put a lot of thought into his future as his next contract could end up having several years attached.