It's been widely speculated that Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden will leave the team in free agency in the summer of 2024, if he isn't traded by the team before then — and Stephen A. Smith thinks the Sixers should let him walk.

“I believe so,” Smith said on First Take on Monday when asked by co-host Molly Qerim if the Sixers are better off without the 33-year-old.

“If you're James Harden, who I believe to be a future Hall of Famer, maybe you need to look in the mirror and ask yourself this question, since the year 2021 you are in route to being on your fourth NBA team in the last two-plus years. Look in the mirror my brother.”

Smith believes that letting Harden leave will open up touches for one of the team's young superstars in Tyrese Maxey.

“Outside of that, I want to say this. I think it's a beautiful thing if James Harden leaves Philadelphia for this one reason and one reason only: Tyrese Maxey,” Smith explained.

“Maxey averaged 20 points a game, 48 percent shooting, 43 percent from three-point range. Only two people in the league last season scored better than 20 points per game on better than 42 percent shooting from three-point range. Him and Steph Curry.”

Clearly, Stephen A Smith is a big fan of the 22-year-old, and believes he should be the guy in Philadelphia.

“The brother is 22. 22 years old. If Harden is not there, that puts the ball in Maxey's hands even more, and whatever we've seen, we may see a better version of that in the years to come. I say roll the dice, take your chance…you hand Tyrese Maxey that ball and you say, ‘you that dude.'”

It will certainly be intriguing to see how the entire situation plays out between James Harden and the Sixers next year, and where the shooting guard ends up either in free agency or through a trade.

“Been comfortable for so long. It's time to get uncomfortable,” Harden posted to Instagram last Thursday afternoon, via ClutchPoints' Sam DiGiovanni.

Although the cryptic post could mean nothing, Harden has made it clear that he would prefer to go to Los Angeles and play for the Clippers. Since no team has really pushed to make that a reality, the holding pattern continues for the Sixers with training camp just two months away.