Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden is one of the all-time greats. The 32-year-old is a future Hall of Famer and he is a member of the top 75 players of all-time list due to his amazing exploits on the floor.
The Beard has three scoring titles under his belt as he makes the game look so easy on an every night basis. He averaged at least 30 points in three straight seasons, he has been terrific on the offensive end as he is almost a maestro out there on the floor, and he is one of the best playmakers the game has ever seen.
That is why some were confused when his numbers as a member of the Sixers were not up to par. He averaged 21 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in 21 games in Philadelphia–numbers that are nothing to sneeze at–but they aren’t James Harden type numbers.
The reason is Harden has been dealing with a nagging hamstring injury and in an interview with Haute Time, Harden discussed his love for basketball and how important it is to get his hamstring right:
“I’ve had the luxury of not having to deal with any serious injuries — with surgeries or whatnot — my entire career. But these last two years, I’ve been dealing with some hamstring issues, which are nothing to play with. So I’m taking this summer as an opportunity to do something for me, to make sure that I get back to the elite level that I know I can be at and that I will be at,” he vows. “So that’s priority No. 1. Basketball is the engine that drives everything — for us to be having this conversation, all the partners that I have, and the great things that I have going on outside of basketball — so I’ve got to make sure that’s on point.”
Harden has yet to sign a new deal with the Sixers after opting out of his $47.3 million player option, but the plan is for him to sign a 2-year deal and take a $15 million pay cut. That shows his commitment to wanting to win a title with Philadelphia, although Bobby Marks believes the Sixers should be investigated, and if he returns healthy, then The Beard could make his mark with the Sixers in the 2022-23 season.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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