James Harden will have to finally make his decision between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Houston Rockets once NBA free agency gets going on Friday. Despite the hype surrounding Harden's next deal, Chris ‘Mad Dog' Russo believes Harden is far from a max-contract player for the Sixers, Rockets, or any other team in the NBA, via ESPN's First Take.

“Absolutely not…there are games where he plays and you say, ‘wow, what a performance…' and then in the next four or five games he does nothing…there is not a chance, he is not a winning player.”

This is what Mad Dog says in response to being asked if James Harden deserves a max contract. He argues that Harden is far from a team player and he is basically not a winning player; these two variables make for someone who should not be getting a max contract in his eyes.

Whatever Mad Dog believes, it is highly likely that James Harden does get a max contract in NBA free agency; whether that is with the Sixers or Rockets remains to be seen, but the answer will be revealed soon with free agency starting on Friday.

Besides the Rockets and Sixers, there are not any other teams that are popping up in rumors to be coveting James Harden in NBA free agency. Stranger things have happened, but it seems pretty clear that his services are being fought for in a two-team race.

Tune into the start of NBA free agency on Friday to see if the Sixers or Rockets give James Harden a max contract and make Chris ‘Mad Dog' Russo very disappointed.