Suspicion Arises Regarding James Harden's New Deal With 76ers

KEY POINTS

James Harden's "secret handshake deal" brought up questions from executives across the NBA
There is also doubt about the Sixers holding up their end of the bargain
Harden says that he has been resting up his hamstring for this season

The Philadelphia 76ers were in need of James Harden taking a decent pay cut this offseason in order to facilitate some moves, and their lead playmaker came through for them when they signed PJ Tucker and Danuel House Jr.

However, NBA reporter Marc Stein reported on his substack that personnel around the league are curious as to what Harden’s new two-year deal truly entail.

Stein initially disclosed that Harden taking a $15 million pay cut had a supposed “wink-wink guarantee” about his next deal, suggesting that Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey made a financial promise to Harden.

The promise would allow Harden to make up the money he lost now by signing a major five-year deal next summer when he is already 34.

“Such speculation is inevitable given how close Morey and Harden clearly are,” Stein noted while also floating the idea of such deals being illegal and others expressing doubt about the Sixers staying true to their word.

Harden found himself in Philadelphia by the end of the trade deadline this past February and had given the Sixers the floor general that they were hoping Ben Simmons would become had he developed well.

During the regular season, Harden averaged 21 points, 7.1 rebounds, 10.5 assists, and 1.2 steals in 37.7 minutes, while those numbers took a slight hit in the playoffs.

It is important to note that Harden produced such numbers while dealing with a hamstring issue that has been nagging at him since the 2021 playoffs.

With an extended offseason to give his legs a break, the dynamic point guard told AP News last week that he wants to give Sixers fans what they deserve.

“I’m looking to have an unbelievable season. I don’t want to just go out there and be running around and not being efficient and looking old out there. I still want to be really, really, really good,” said Harden.

Having him healthy at the very least is everything the Sixers fanbase is wishing for right now and having him suit up a fired up Joel Embiid with chips on his shoulders, and the Sixers are poised to have a big 2022-23 season.