4 realistic endings to Harden's farce: Destroying the relationship between Embiid with the 76ers and finally getting traded

This article was compiled from: Bleacher Report

Written by Eric Pincus

原标题：4 Realistic Outcomes for Ugly James Harden-Philadelphia 76ers Saga

In 2021, the 76ers and Simmons staged a chaotic farce. In the summer of 2023, another farce came, this time about James Harden. One key difference is that the collective bargaining agreement has tougher rules for Harden, who is in his final year of contract, and those rules will also be put to the test when the 76ers try to navigate a complicated and difficult situation. Harden is clearly determined to leave Philadelphia, but should Morey and the 76ers go along with his request? Bleacher Report Eric Pincus analyzes four realistic endings –

1. There is currently no team commitment, he can only keep the 76ers first

So far, teams like the Bulls, Mavericks, Heat and Knicks have shown little interest in Harden, and the only team with a potential trade partner is the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Clippers are Harden's most wanted destination, but Woj previously reported that the 76ers have concluded trade talks about Harden, noting that there has been no progress in potential trade talks between the 76ers and the Clippers. The Clippers would need to pay at least $32.4 million to match Harden's salary (or $37.3 million if he refused to give up 15% of the trade deposit).

If the 76ers prioritize salary space in 2024, the Clippers have quite a few expiring contracts, such as veterans Morris, Batum, Covington, but such a return does not make enough sense for the 76ers. The deal may require the involvement of a third party or even a fourth party, but given Harden's one-year contract and his age, it's not surprising that the deal is at an impasse.

2. Harden could derail the relationship between the 76ers and Embiid

The new collective bargaining agreement stipulates that if Harden refuses to meet his player obligations for more than 30 days, he cannot become a free agent for the rest of the offseason. In addition, any player who publicly expresses that they want to be traded to another team will be fined or suspended by up to $150,000.

While the fine is only equivalent to 0.4% of Harden's salary, the suspension can amount up to $389,000 per game. The new rules are expected to stop Harden from being out for a long time, but he has ways to make the team very uncomfortable, especially since his stay on the team could derail the relationship between the 76ers and Embiid, which the 76ers are afraid to see. This will also affect the 76ers' season. The US media even thought that Harden might have "lingering injuries" and refused to play for the 76ers.

3.76 persons may take the salary space route

The 76ers may execute the salary space route in the future, clearing almost all players on the team except Embiid and Maxi. With Harris ($39.3 million) and Harden's contracts expiring, Philadelphia is expected to free up nearly $58 million in salary space next season. Here's what the 76ers top brass need to consider when evaluating the Harden deal: Does the reward make more sense than maintaining salary flexibility in 2024?

In previous interviews with the media, 76ers executives also hinted at this possibility, and they may be prepared to free up a lot of salary space instead of obsessing over transactions. Of course, it's a dangerous game, as Embiid could be the next player who wants to leave Philadelphia. Maxi also needs to get a long-term, high-paying contract to secure his motivation.

4. Harden was eventually traded, and he renewed his contract with the new team next summer

Last summer, Harden took a $15 million pay cut, leaving plenty of room for the 76ers to sign Tucker and House. Whether or not Morey promised at the time, multiple sources said Harden gave the impression that he would jump out of this year's player option and sign Philadelphia for a top salary.

But whether or not Morey has such a commitment, it is not really binding. Harden eventually chose to execute the player option and explore a trade with the 76ers.

As mentioned earlier, Harden's contract also has a 15% trading margin. If he had been traded before the opener, the bond would have been worth $5.3 million, a proportional reduction of about $31,000 per day since the start of the season. He can waive the bond, and if he doesn't, the 76ers would have to pay the fee.

While Harden is not eligible to renew this season, he will retain his bird rights if he is traded, allowing his new team to re-sign him at his highest salary next July. The US media believes that the farce between Harden and the 76ers will eventually be resolved in a trade.