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The Philadelphia 76ers' 2021-22 season is over after a disappointing second-round exit at the hands of the Miami Heat. The Sixers failed to reach expectations once again and have some serious questions to answer this offseason. At the top of this list is what to do with James Harden.
It was hoped that the Sixers found their missing piece when trading Ben Simmons for the former MVP midseason. Daryl Morey managed to land his white whale to pair him with MVP runner-up Joel Embiid. The combination of shotmaking and playmaking was expected to open up the Sixers' offense in ways never seen before.
In his half-season with the team, it is quite clear James Harden is no longer the player he once was. The 32-year-old has clearly lost a step and can no longer create separation the same way. His high IQ and passing ability still shine, but Harden is not the capable sidekick he was expected to be.
There are some tough questions to answer from both the Sixers and James Harden. The 10-time All-Star has a $47.4 million player option to decide on, and there is also the possibility of a long-term extension. With his disappointing playoff performance fresh in mind, it would be best for both sides for James Harden to exercise his $47.4 million player option for next season.
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Why James Harden must exercise $47.4 million player option with Sixers
Harden's market is at an all-time low
There was a point in time where it would be a no-brainer to give James Harden a max extension. The three-time scoring champ has had a great deal of success throughout his 14-year career. While he may seem like he is at the tail end of his career, he is only 32 years old. There are many players older than Harden who are still playing at a higher level.
However, Harden has done himself no favors in making him a desirable long-term addition. In the 21 regular-season games with the Sixers, Harden averaged 21.0 points, 10.5 assists, and 7.1 rebounds. In the 12 playoff games with Philly, Harden's numbers dropped to 18.6 points, 8.6 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. His Game 6 performance against Miami was pathetic.
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He did a decent job filling up the stat sheet, but it is clear that Harden is more of a complementary piece at this stage in his career. The isolation nature of his game makes his inconsistent shooting such a significant X-Factor in his game. When his shots are falling he looks excellent, but his misses oftentimes take the wind out of the building. While this is true of all players, watching Harden dribble the ball for 15 seconds before launching a step-back 3 makes seems to raise the importance of the shot.
There is a one-year, $47.4 million player option that Harden currently has available to him. It is possible a team (and maybe even the Sixers) is willing to give him a max contract but not certain. Opting in for one more year will give him a chance to get more comfortable with the team and prove he still has more left in the tank. Taking the offseason to get fully healthy and come back ready to prove himself would benefit him greatly.
Sixers need Harden's skill set, and he can rebuild value with them
He certainly is not the player he was hoped to be, but James Harden is still an incredibly useful player. The high IQ and passing ability he possesses raised the ceiling of the Sixers' offense a great deal. Harden was the first true point guard the Sixers have had during the Embiid era and helped the team, including young players like Tyrese Maxey.
There also were some real positive signs in the play between James Harden and Joel Embiid. The Sixers were unable to run a proper pick-and-roll with Embiid during his time in Philly. Harden changed this in a great way, and the two are the highest-rated pick-and-roll duo over the past four seasons. Harden also did a great job finding Embiid for easy looks around the basket and helped with his late-season surge for a scoring title:
Harden and Embiid are the most efficient pick and roll duo in the last 4 seasons
(via the Void/@KevinOConnorNBA ) pic.twitter.com/BJ7UOphOlM— Karan (@karanjn2) May 6, 2022
Daryl Morey does not have an easy decision to make regarding what to do with James Harden from here. The former MVP is still a high-quality player, but not the missing piece he was hoped to be. If James Harden elects to opt in for a one-year option, it buys both sides some more time to evaluate. The Sixers should prioritize making changes to the roster around him and see if the long-term fit could still work.
