NBA Rumors: James Harden Could Pass on Long-Term Deals?

James Harden’s future with the Philadelphia 76ers is in question. Not specifically because ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the ten-time All-Star is “mulling” a potential return to the Houston Rockets in the offseason, but simply because the star guard decided to sign a one-plus-one deal with the Sixers over the summer.

Harden initially mentioned he intended to opt-in with the player option on his previous contract after getting traded to the Sixers from the Brooklyn Nets during last year’s season. The star guard switched directions and declined the option with intentions to return to the 76ers on a new deal.

Many speculated that Harden was gearing up to ink a max contract, keeping him in Philadelphia for years to come. That would not be the case. Instead, Harden secured a one-year deal with a player option attached for next season. The new contract came at a discounted price, allowing the Sixers’ front office to make room for players such as PJ Tucker, Danuel House, and Montrezl Harrell.

One reporter went as far as speculating that league personnel believed Harden had a verbal agreement with the Sixers to snag a long-term contract later on down the line. The Sixers’ organization was investigated for it and cleared of any wrongdoing.

The chances of Harden accepting his player option for next season minimizes as the star guard performs well for the team. Since returning from a tendon strain, Harden has averaged 22 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds while knocking down nearly 40 percent of his threes over the last ten games.

The market value for Harden is climbing once again as he continues to find success as both a scorer and a playmaker. A max contract offer from the Sixers or another organization could be on the horizon later on down the line, but an NBA Insider recently mentioned that Harden might take a different route than veteran stars typically tend to do.

Here’s what ESPN’s Zach Lowe had to say on the matter:

"There are a lot of whispers around the league that he wants to continue cycling through, like, 1+1 kinds of deals."

The last couple of seasons has been quite the turn of events for Harden. After the guard spent the majority of his career playing for the Houston Rockets, it seemed he intended to ride the rest of his contract out with the Brooklyn Nets after getting traded in 2020.

Less than two years later, Harden forced his way out of Brooklyn to join the 76ers. Harden will ride the 2022-2023 season out with the Sixers. While he’s not guaranteed to opt out after this season, signs are beginning to point toward Harden rejecting the $35 million player option to seek out something that’s more on par with his market value.

A max contract could come Harden’s way, whether it’s from Philly or another organization, but it seems the 33-year-old guard might take a different route than expected and favor short-term deals for the time being.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.