76ers News: James Harden Ranked as Top 2023 Free Agent

With the NBA gearing up for the second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, the offseason is right around the corner. This summer will be a critical time for the Philadelphia 76ers, who have a notable player potentially hitting the market.

According to Bleacher Report, the Sixers have arguably the top free agent hitting the market, as James Harden could opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent for the second-straight season.

Last year, Harden made it clear that he would return to the Sixers one way or another. While he initially claimed he would pick up his player option, Harden declined and took a discounted deal, which guaranteed his salary in year one, and had a player option for year two.

It was a win-win scenario for both parties. The Sixers got their top playmaker back at a discounted rate, while Harden bet on himself. Now, he’s widely expected to decline the player option and cash in on the market.

And if teams view Harden as the top free agent acquisition as BR does, then Harden will be signing a significant deal one way or another.

"Even in his mid-30s—he'll turn 34 in August—no one can match Harden's combination of strength, vision and feel in the pick-and-roll.

Playing as a No. 2 option has seriously limited the number of desperation shots he takes, which was a big part of his improved scoring efficiency this season. Of course, a new team might expect him to score a bit more than he does as Joel Embiid's teammate, but it's safe to say the pass-first portion of Harden's career has started."

Harden described his 2022-2023 run with the Sixers as the season of sacrifice. Not only did he take a pay cut, but he tweaked his game to be a pass-first playmaker rather than the dominant scoring guard he’s been for the majority of his career.

As a result, Harden led the NBA with 11 assists per game. And he still got his scoring numbers as he averaged 21 points while shooting 39 percent from three.

Teams in need of a veteran playmaker and reliable scoring might be lining up to make an offer for Harden. While the Sixers and the Houston Rockets are the two teams that are likely going to battle for Harden’s services beyond this season, he could still have a crowded market.