The Philadelphia 76ers were able to bring back James Harden on a deal in the offseason much cheaper than originally thought. After making a big trade at the deadline to acquire him, the Sixers signed him to a two-year deal worth $68.6 million as he took a big pay cut.
The second year of the deal is a player option so Harden could just opt out and earn more money if he has a big 2022-23 season. For the moment, the Sixers have their star guard on a pretty solid deal.
Bleacher Report views the deal as the best value contract on Philadelphia’s roster as it heads into the new season:
The fact James Harden agreed to a $15 million pay cut this summer made him a natural candidate for this spot, but this argument isn’t just about salary cap minutiae.
Despite possibly being a step slower than he was at his Rockets peak, Harden remains one of the game’s most dynamic and unselfish playmakers.
Last season, he averaged 22.0 points, 10.3 assists and 2.3 threes.
Getting a former MVP who’s barely post-prime and still averaging a double-double for this far under the max is a bargain.
Now that Harden has had a full offseason to rest his hamstring and continue to work his body back to help the team succeed, the expectation is he will look much better on the floor in his first full season with the team.
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