After the Sixers’ failure throughout the playoffs, all eyes are on the future of James Harden

The Philadelphia 76ers’ season ended on Sunday, when the Boston Celtics beat them 112-88. in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Celtics will now advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they’re going to face the Miami Heat, while the Sixers will have to now get started sorting all the way through the wreckage of another out of place season.

That starts with studying if James Harden has a long-term long term in Philadelphia.

Christmas Day Yet again, ESPN Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Harden is “considerably making an allowance for a return to the Houston Rockets in free corporate” if he decides not to re-sign with the Sixers. Wojnarowski added that “Harden and his inner circle” have “openly weighed Houston in recent months,” and those rumors have best possible gotten louder since then.

To begin with of March, Sam Amick and Kelly Iko of The Athletic confirmed that the Rockets are “expected” to pursue Harden if (when) he declines his $35.6 million player selection for the 2023-24 season to become a free agent. “Additional unusually, belongings aware of Harden’s prospects say he is merely as fascinated about a imaginable return now as he was once as soon as when he left town” in a January 2021 trade to the Brooklyn Nets, they reported.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports activities actions in recent times printed that many figures around the NBA take care of Harden’s return to Houston “as a foregone conclusion.” On the other hand, others think “it’s all leverage to stick the Sixers decision-makers,” which Wojnarowski moreover admitted as a possibility.

After 3 consecutive seasons on the subject of the bottom of the NBA standings, the Rockets made it known that they can spice up up their rebuild and get once more into playoff contention. Armed with a large league 64.2 million greenbacks in projected salary-cap house this offseason, the Rockets have enough space to fit Harden to a max contract that starts at $46.9 million with out a want to barter a sign-and-trade with the Sixers.

Losing Harden to the Rockets in free corporate could be a devastating blow to the Sixers, who acquired him final February for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two long term first-round possible choices. They’ve already were given $117.1 million in confident salary on their books for next season, in order that they may not have enough cap house to adequately replace him if he leaves.

With Paul Reed (limited), Shake Milton, Georges Niang and Jalen McDaniels becoming free agents, the Sixers will most likely carry out as a gaggle throughout the offseason regardless of what Harden decides to do. If Harden opts out, they may well be limited to the $12.2 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception as their primary approach of signing an impact player in free corporate.

Harden led the NBA with 10.7 helps to keep with game this season along with 21.0 problems, 6.1 rebounds, 2.8 three-pointers and 1.2 steals. He’s the primary explanation why Joel Embiid averaged a career-high 33.1 problems consistent with game en trail to his first MVP award. There is no different player like him who would become a free agent this summer season, specifically one that would settle for an annual salary throughout the low-teens.

Since the Sixers have Harden’s Chook rights, they may most often be capable of offer but any other 12 months on his contract than another team. On the other hand, the over 38 rule it limits them that it does not offer more than the price of a maximum four-year contract spread over 4 or 5 years. In several words, their max offer is kind of $210.1 million, while other teams may also be providing him a four-year contract worth $201.4 million. Texas’ lack of state income tax by myself would possibly simply have the same opinion Harden make up the adaptation between signing with the Rockets and re-signing with the Sixers.

If Harden intends to sign with the Rockets and they are ready to offer him an entire four-year deal, there could also be now not the rest the Sixers can do. The Rockets possibly may not conform to sign the contract each. Within the tournament that they hope to package deal a couple of in their more youthful lottery possible choices for another celebrity, like Fischer in recent times printed, they’re going to need higher contracts for fodder to test the salary. (The cases surrounding Daryl Morey’s departure from Houston would possibly not instructed Rockets governor Tilman Fertitta to speed to have the same opinion him out of the jam, each.)

But if the Rockets are not ready to provide Harden 4 years at the most, the Sixers would possibly simply significantly outbid them. On the other hand, they’re going to will have to factor throughout the draconian penalties for dear teams underneath the new collective bargaining agreement when weighing how so much to offer Harden this summer season.

The new CBA introduces a second salary cap set at $17.5 million above the luxury tax line. Starting this offseason, teams above that threshold may not have get right to use to the mid-level taxpayer exception and it will be limited to taking once more no more than 110 % of the salary they send in any trade. Next summer season, they’re going to be limited by which draft possible choices they can trade, will not be able in an effort to upload salary for a higher-paid player in a trade, will not be able to send cash in a trade, or “reach avid players on present contracts by way of signing and purchasing and promoting their own free agents,” consistent with Yossi Gozlan by way of HoopsHype.

If the Sixers sign Harden to a max contract, they may transfer the luxury tax threshold with best possible 8 avid players underneath contract. When they re-sign any of Reed, Milton, Niang and McDaniels and round out the rest of their roster, they may most likely be above the second apron, which would possibly restrict the trades they will make around Harden, Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Except for Harden is ready to stay in Philly on another delightful deal like he did final 12 months, there might not be a very easy solution for the Sixers in the ones negotiations. He was once as soon as a huge factor in their good fortune final season and on the subject of carried them in Video video games 1 and 4 towards the Celtics, on the other hand he moreover shot at or underneath 25 % in 5 playoff video video games.

With Harden turning 34 in Would perhaps, it’s reasonably priced to marvel how he will look in opposition to the end of a contract that can see him make on the subject of $60 million throughout the final 12 months. If teams become reluctant at hand out huge contracts underneath the new CBA for fear of a second apron, the entire 12 months or two of Harden’s contract would possibly simply come once more to haunt the Sixers.

On the other hand, one would possibly simply let Harden walk. They are able to art work their technique to another celebrity in 2024 after Tobias Harris’ massive contract expires, on the other hand throughout the meantime, they’d be risking an off 12 months throughout Embiid’s best. It’s fair to marvel how so much endurance he would have with retraining if the Sixers don’t find a suitable choice for Harden throughout the next 12 months.

The rest of the Sixers’ offseason trail will most likely hinge in an instant on Harden’s solution. How they care for the results of that decision in any case will unravel whether they stay throughout the championship hunt next season or take a step once more.

Except for differently discussed, all statistics by way of NBA.com, PBPStats, Glass cleaning or Basketball reference. All information about salaries by way of An observer or RealGM. All prospects by way of Sportsbook FanDuel.