Not even 24 hours after the Philadelphia 76ers embarrassing Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, James Harden reports about him returning to Houston are making their rounds on national television. 

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski says there’s “a very real possibility” that James Harden returns to Houston.

“If [the Rockets] win the lottery … and they’re the ones who can draft Victor Wembanyama, my sense is that would not necessarily change the Rockets’ intentions to pursue James Harden.”

Woj on James Harden returning to Houston

James Harden has a player option for the 2023-2024 season to come back to the Philadelphia 76ers. The price tag is $35 million. 

Also worth noting, even if Harden does leave the Sixers for someone who is (stupidly) wiling to offer him that type of money, the Sixers will still only have roughly $8 million in cap space so it’s not like they have much wiggle room regardless. 

Still, like I said in the the article I published earlier today, I do not care where James Harden goes next season, I just hope that he doesn’t return to Philadelphia under any circumstances. 

Read More: Closing out yet another disappointing Sixers season >>

Yes, I know losing Harden’s production will be a major loss to the Philadelphia 76ers lineup but at the same time, he proved that he’s not a “big game” player come playoff time and really, we we should have known that already given his history in the NBA. 

James Harden: “This is only Year 1 for us.” 

James Harden was brought here to win an NBA Championship with Joel Embiid. He was healthy this season going into the playoffs and unfortunately did not deliver as an NBA player that believes he is deserving of a max contract. 

James Harden Game 7: 9 PTS, 3/11 FGM, 1/5 3PM

I don’t see how the Philadelphia 76ers re-sign him to anything long term and honestly, they shouldn’t.

Harden has proven to be too inconsistent and an unreliable second option on the Sixers. 

That of course, depends on Harden finding a better situation than the player option that he has here in Philadelphia, which if you watched him in the playoffs, I’m not sure if that’s the case. Harden could easily exercise that and be wearing a Sixers uniform next season which might send me airborne off the Ben Franklin Bridge. 

I mean seriously, there shouldn’t be a Year 2 of James Harden in Philadelphia and I pray to GOD someone pays him enough to leave the Sixers.

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