James Harden inks new 2 – year, $68.6m deal with the Philadelphia 76ers

On Wednesday, July 20^th, 2022 the Philadelphia 76ers and their superstar veteran guard, James Harden, have agreed upon terms on a 2 – year contract extension worth up to approximately $68.6 million. This new deal also includes a 3^rd – year player option for the 2023 – 2024 season of the National Basketball Association.

Contract Details

Harden’s fresh 2 – year contractual agreement with the Philadelphia 76ers will payout around $68,600,000 all of which is total guaranteed money. There is a third – year player option that Harden can choose to exercise if he so chooses to do so prior to the 2023 – 2024 NBA season. James will now earn an average salary of $34,300,000 per NBA season over the upcoming 2 – 3 years. Harden is now scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent once again in 2024.

This was unselfish of James to do in order to stay with a quality contender in the National Basketball Association. In the past he would have probably just gone where the most money was, but it seems now he is chasing an NBA championship title and wants to be in contention for one each and every year for the remainder of his career in the NBA. This contract extension in which Harden took less money than he could get to stay in Philly with the Sixers goes to show you that he just wants win at this point in his career.

Harden’s Basketball Background

 James Harden was born in Los Angeles, California, and he attended Artesia High School in Lakewood, California where he quickly excelled at the game as basketball. Following high school, he decided to enroll at Arizona State University to play basketball for the Sun Devils. After having a very successful NCAA college basketball career at ASU from 2007 to 2009 he declared himself eligible for the 2009 NBA Draft.

The Oklahoma City Thunder selected Harden with the 3^rd – overall pick in the 1^st – round of the 2009 NBA Draft. James played with other NBA superstars such as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City with the Thunder from 2009 to 2012, and then he was traded to the Houston Rockets after the Oklahoma City Thunder could not reach a contract extension with Harden. James played in Houston with the Rockets from 2012 to 2021.

In January of 2021 Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a four – team deal which involved the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers, sending Rodions Kurucs, Dante Exum, Victor Oladipo, 4 – 1^st – round draft picks as well as 4 – 1^st – round pick swaps to the Houston Rockets. In February of 2022, the Brooklyn Nets traded Harden and Paul Millsap to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and 2 – 1^st – round NBA draft selections.

Although Harden has to share the ball mostly with the Philadelphia 76ers franchise player in Joel Embiid, he still is able to provide lots of scoring power to the already potent Philadelphia 76ers Eastern Conference powerhouse of a team. Some downsides to Harden’s game are that he doesn’t play much defense, and he is not known for sharing the ball well with his teammates on the offensive side of the ball as he shoots a whole lot but is very good at putting points up on the board.

Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards

• NBA Most Valuable Player Award Winner (2018)
• 10 – Time NBA All – Star Selection (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
• 6 – Time All – NBA First Team Selection (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)
• All – NBA Third Team Selection (2013)
• NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award Winner (2012)
• 3 – Time NBA Scoring Champion (2018, 2019, 2020)
• NBA Assists Leader (2017)
• Named to the NBA All – Rookie Second Team (2010)
• Named to NBA’s 75^th Anniversary Team
• Consensus First – Team All – American (2009)
• Pac – 10 Player of the Year Award Winner (2009)
• 2 – Time First – Team All – Pac – 10 Selection (2008, 2009)
• Number 13 Jersey was Retired by the Arizona State Sun Devils
• Named to Second – Team Parade All – American (2007)
• McDonald’s All – American (2007)
• Gold Medal USA Men’s Basketball Olympic Team (2012 – London)
• Gold Medal USA Men’s Basketball World Cup (2014 – Spain)