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James Harden' contract situation with the Philadelphia 76ers has been a major talking point during the season. The star guard has a player option worth around $47 million for next season, There are many discussions amongst fans whether this is a good or bad thing for the team.
Recent rumors, though, have made it seem that the Sixers may have no choice regarding Harden. On an episode of ESPN's First Take, Brian Windhorst reported that James Harden's chances of opting into his player option is “extremely likely”.
The move shouldn't really surprise most fans at this point. For one, a guaranteed $47 million paycheck is hard to turn down, even for someone like Harden. More importantly, though, the Sixers star's age could now be a factor in contract negotiations. His age and immense workload could put off teams from signing him to a massive long-term deal. This could be Harden's final big contract of his career.
Of course, it's still possible that the Sixers or other teams hold him to high value despite these factors. It's easy to forget, but Harden is coming off of major injuries in the last two seasons. It's no surprise that he's not been able to produce at the same level he did before. When he's healthy, though, his greatness is still undeniable.
At the very least, Harden committing to next season is a huge sigh of relief for Sixers fans in the short-term. Their playoff push is in jeopardy amid Joel Embiid's unfortunate orbital fracture. If Embiid doesn't come back soon, the team might have to look at saving their energy for the next season,
