76ers' James Harden Says He Hasn't Gotten Credit for Taking Discount on New Contract

Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden doesn't believe he has gotten the proper credit for leaving money on the table when he re-signed with the team this offseason.

The 10-time All-Star told The Athletic's Joe Vardon he believes it's part of a wider narrative across his career:

"Nope, but guess what? I don’t care. There’s like a stereotype (of Harden) where people always want to talk. People don’t really know me, so they feel like they can just say anything. One thing I won’t do is give them any attention. I won’t say anything, media-wise, publicly. I don’t care, because I’m comfortable and I’m confident in the things I do on and off the court."

Harden declined his $47.4 million player option in the summer and signed a two-year, $68.6 million deal that includes a player option for the second year.

The numbers are right there: Harden took less money than he could've earned, which in turn allowed Philly to make some additional moves, the biggest of which was signing P.J. Tucker.

However, there may have been other factors at play behind the decision.

Harden's value has fallen a bit over the last few years. He averaged 22.0 points and 10.3 assists while shooting a disappointing 41.0 percent from the field and 33.0 percent from beyond the arc.

The 33-year-old drew criticism for another disappearing act in the playoffs as well. He shot 4-of-9 and scored 11 points in Philadelphia's season-ending Game 6 loss to the Miami Heat.

There probably wasn't a max deal waiting for Harden from another team if he had opted out with the intention of truly hitting the open market. By accepting a lesser salary, he can rebuild his stock and get more money on the back end.

Some are already of the belief that was exactly his intention.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported in July how "there have been questions about whether there is already a handshake agreement in place on a future contract" between the Sixers and Harden.

It's a lot easier to turn down $14 million if you know a nine-figure payday is waiting for you.