James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers are looking to take a commanding 3-0 series lead against his former Brooklyn Nets team in the first round of the NBA Playoffs Thursday evening.
It’s interesting to look at. Harden returns to Brooklyn for Game 3 of their series roughly 15 months after he was sent from the Nets to the 76ers in a blockbuster trade.
Since that deal, things have changed big time for the two franchises. Brooklyn completed its tear down of a “super team” by dealing away both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving back in February. It is now set to rely on a young cast of characters to avoid a 3-0 series deficit.
On the other side, Harden’s future with the 76ers appears to be in doubt.
“James Harden’s future is very unclear in Philadelphia. Houston is very much in play for him. And I think a lot may depend on, do they make a run and win and it’s easy to pay him long-term big money? Or he just wants to be back in Houston. Win or lose, he goes. Or it’s dependent on the team’s success,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported ahead of Game 3.
There have been numerous rumors that Harden could very well opt out of his contract for next season and become a free agent this summer. Said rumors also point to a potential return to the Houston Rockets, where he played from 2012-21.
- James Harden contract: 2 years, $68.64 million; $35.64 million option for 2023-24
Harden returning to Houston after his request of a trade early in the 2020-21 season led to a complete rebuild for the Rockets would be something. An exit from Philadelphia after less than two full seasons would also be something.
Is James Harden’s future with the 76ers tied to playoff success?
As noted above, Philadelphia finds itself up 2-0 against a vastly inferior Nets team. It’s safe to say that the 76ers are going to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
That’s where it gets tricky. Harden and Co. would then likely be set for a matchup against the defending conference champion Boston Celtics in Round 2. It’s not a matchup that the 76ers can feel terribly confident about after dropping three of four against the Celtics during the regular season.
We then have to focus on what Harden’s definition of playoff success would be. An appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals? Perhaps, the former NBA MVP is looking at the championship round as his defitinion for success? Heck, it could be all about hoisting the Larry O’Brien with MVP favorite Joel Embiid helping lead the way.
Either way we spin it, James Harden’s future with the Philadelphia 76ers is hanging over their playoff run. Should the team struggle to make it beyond Round 2, a return of “The Beard” to Texas could be in the cards.