James Harden to Make 76ers Debut vs. Timberwolves After Hamstring Injury Recovery
Philadelphia 76ers fans reportedly won't have to wait much longer for James Harden's debut with the team.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the plan is for Harden to play in Philadelphia's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. The guard has not played since Feb. 2 because of a hamstring injury and was traded by the Brooklyn Nets to the 76ers while he's been out.
This doesn't come as much of a surprise for those who watched the NBA All-Star Game considering Joel Embiid told the TNT broadcast "the plan" was for Harden to play against the Timberwolves.
Harden and Paul Millsap came to the 76ers as part of the trade that sent Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, an unprotected 2022 first-round pick and a protected 2027 first-round pick to the Nets.
It was the conclusion of the Simmons saga with the 76ers following criticism for how he played in the playoffs, a trade request and a decision to not play up to this point of the season because he said he was not mentally ready.
The fact Simmons wasn't playing figured to cut into Philadelphia's leverage in trade discussions, but it still managed to get one of the best playmakers of this generation in Harden.
The 32-year-old's resume includes the 2017-18 league MVP, three scoring titles, seven All-NBA selections and 10 All-Star Game nods. He is averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 assists, 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game this season as a triple-double threat every time he steps onto the court.
While there may be some concern about his 33.2 three-point percentage in 2021-22, which would be the lowest mark of his career, the opportunity to play alongside Embiid should lead to a number of open looks and pick-and-roll chances.
If the pair work well together, the 35-23 76ers will be on the shortlist of realistic NBA Finals contenders in the Eastern Conference.
