On January 26, Beijing time, more and more people believed that Harden would wear the jersey of the 76ers next season. Why would Harden be impressed with the 76ers? Bleacher Report reporter Jake Fisher and The Athletic reporter Alex Schiffer both reported on the matter. Combined with the reports of the two famous records, Harden considered leaving the Nets for 6 real reasons, in addition, if Harden has made up his mind, the Nets' potential asking price for the 76ers has also been exposed.
Reason 1: Dissatisfaction with Irving's part-time playing
Harden has bluntly expressed his displeasure with Kyrie Irving's part-time status to the Nets and friends. More recently, Kevin Durant's injury has exacerbated the problem, allowing Harden to bear most of the offensive pressure in the Nets' home games. That's not what Harden wants to see. Since his comeback, Irving has played seven away games for the Nets, averaging 23.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.
Remember Harden joking about giving Irving a shot after the big win over the Bulls? How many truths are spoken in a joking way.
Reason 2: Frustrated with Nash's employment
Head coach Nash's fickle rotation lineup also frustrated Harden, with sources informing that Nash prefers to use a hot lineup to end the game, without a fixed lineup at key moments. The Nets have used 22 starts in 46 games so far this season, which is related to injuries. However, harden's philosophy should be different from Nash's in terms of ending the lineup, which has also led to an increase in his dissatisfaction.
Reason #3: Don't like Brooklyn
His new city could also be a problem. According to multiple sources, Harden didn't like living in Brooklyn compared to his days as a Houston tycoon. In addition to climate change, the gulf between state taxes in New York and Texas is also clear. Under different state taxes, there are also significant differences in the amount of money a player actually gets.
Reason 4: Close ties to many people in Philadelphia
If the above 3 reasons are the nets' problems, then the following 3 reasons are Philadelphia's attraction to Harden. A place with many acquaintances makes Harden feel more comfortable. Former Rockets CEO Ted Brown is now CEO of Harris Britzer Sports and Entertainment (HBSE), which owns a majority stake in the 76ers. In addition, Harden has a close relationship with Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, who is also a major shareholder in HBSE.
Reason #5: Harden wants more influence
In Houston, the Rockets gave Harden a rare influence, he has the right to decide on the team's personnel, and in Brooklyn, Nets general manager Max has said that some major issues will consult the team's stars, but Harden's status is the same as Durant and Irving, and his voice has diminished. In Philadelphia, the US media believes that Harden can have greater voice and influence when he plays next to Embiid. That's what Harden himself wants.
Reason 6: Playing with Embiid has a longer title race
Alex Schiffer said Harden is willing to play with Embiid, in a big way that Philadelphia's core lineup is younger and has a longer tenure with Embiid. Embiid is not yet 28 years old and is at the peak of his form, while Durant is 33 years old and has been plagued by injuries many times, and Irving, although he is only 29 years old, has constant problems off the field.
Nets exposed about Harden's potential asking price
So, Harden really wants to go to the 76ers when the time comes, will the Nets take a bamboo basket to hit the water empty? The probability is very low, and an important reason is money. Philadelphia certainly hopes harden can jump straight out of the contract to join the 76ers, but given the huge loss in terms of money, Harden can't choose this way.
If Harden chooses to execute the player option, he can get a 4-year, 227.2 million contract extension, which is a 5-year, 274.7 million contract. If Harden jumps out of the option and the Nets re-sign him, then the total contract is $270 million for 5 years, but if Harden jumps out of the option to sign the 76ers, he can only get $200.1 million in 4 years at most, unless Harden wants to give up $74 million, otherwise his most logical choice is to sign first and then change. This is the last big contract of Harden's career, and he will most likely do it.
If the 76ers want to make room for this trade-off, they are likely to deal with Harris's big contract, which is why the 76ers have always wanted to take Harris's contract when discussing the Simmons deal recently. If the Nets want to sign Harden, what kind of return will they ask the 76ers for? Alex Schiffer said that from a negotiating point of view, the idea of pure Simmons switching to Harden alone does not make any sense. The Nets may ask for a first-round pick from Maxi, Sable, Seth Curry or multiple.