Estimated loss of $100 million! Harden's past departure from the Nets is the biggest failure: no top salary in the future?
On July 24, Beijing time, Harden has applied for a trade to the 76ers, hoping to join the Clippers. The US media settled an account for him, bluntly saying that Harden's departure from the Nets may have caused him to lose $100 million.
Harden has already exercised the player option and will become a free agent next season. Harden, who is thought to have no market this year, will be 35 years old next season and may not have the opportunity to get a top salary. As the table below shows, Harden initially refused the Nets' maximum salary extension, potentially costing him $100 million.
Harden had a chance to get a five-year top salary with the Nets, but he eventually chose to leave and play for the 76ers for a smaller contract. Without leaving the Nets, Harden is expected to receive $275.4 million over five years from 2022-23 to 2026-27. And leaving the Nets has significantly reduced Harden's income. He chose to cut his salary for the 76ers in 2022-23, and the actual salary was 33 million, compared to 35.6 million this season. The US media expects that Harden will not receive more than 40 million in salary in the next three years, which is expected to be 33 million, 35.6 million and 38.2 million respectively, and the final corresponding five-year expected salary is 175.4 million US dollars, which is 100 million less than staying in the Nets.
American media lamented that Harden's request to trade to leave the Nets may well be the biggest failure of his career, because as a professional player, he missed what may be the last opportunity to top salary. The former MVP, who averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds and 10.1 assists last season, has slipped in form, obviously, and the tragedy is that he didn't go much further to the 76ers, who were eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Now, Harden doesn't want to stay in Philadelphia anymore, and he has set his sights on his hometown of Los Angeles to play with the Clippers. However, most people are not optimistic that Harden will be able to regain his top salary when he goes to the Clippers. It's hard for Jr. and George to stay healthy, and the Clippers' championship prospects aren't promising. Will Harden's choice make him regret this time?