Free NBA Agency: James Harden Takes $15 Million Pay Cut to Stay With 76ers, Per Report

James Harden will re-sign with Philadelphia 76ers On a two-year deal with a player option in the second season, according to sun shrnia. Deal Represent He cut his salary by $15 million from the maximum salary of $47.3 million he could have earned from his player option for the season. Harden arrived in Philadelphia on a trade deadline last season in a huge deal with Brooklyn Networks For Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and group shots.

While his Philadelphia stint started off well, the season ended in a very disappointing fashion for the former MVP. His explosion appears to have left him after dealing with injuries and poor conditioning in Brooklyn, and in the team’s final season loss to Miami Heat, Harden attempted only two shots in the second half as the 76ers were eliminated on their home ground. Given his age (33 in August), many have speculated that Harden is no longer guaranteed a significant contract.

He’s still getting one, but the pay cut he’ll take will give the 76ers the flexibility they need to sign earlier. missiles Fellow PJ Tucker in the Mid-Level Exception for Non-Taxpayers and Danwell House Jr.’s Semi-Annual Exception. Many big game players talk about sacrificing money in order to win. Harden is already doing it here.

Of course, it also earns an extra year of financial security with this player option. The Nets and Rockets offered Harden long-term extensions, but he declined on both fronts. That allowed him to make his way to the 76ers, and as his value declined, holding a multi-year deal at even a slight discount mitigated some of the risks of further downside.

The 76ers are hoping Harden can avoid that downturn a little longer. With Tucker and House joining a team that already had MVP nominee Joel Embiid, superstar Therese Maxi and current Max player Tobias Harris, a healthy and co-qualifier Harden could still carry them deeper into the playoffs. The 76ers have a shortened title window in front of them. Harden’s deal helps them maximize it.