James Harden's Top Potential Landing Spots amid 76ers Contract Opt-Out Rumors

The James Harden free-agent sweepstakes won't officially begin until he makes a decision on his player option, but the expectation is the former NBA MVP will test the market this summer.

B/R's Chris Haynes reported Harden intends to decline his $35.6 million option with the Philadelphia 76ers for 2023-24 and will be seeking a four-year contract.

It's not a complete surprise that the 33-year-old would want to secure a new long-term deal. He took a $15 million pay cut last season to re-sign with the Sixers and give them more flexibility to fill out the roster around himself and Joel Embiid.

This offseason might be Harden's last best chance to secure one more massive contract. He isn't the same player he was at his peak, but he still averaged an NBA-high 10.7 assists per game and shot 38.5 percent from three-point range in 58 starts this season.

Any speculation about where Harden might play next will almost certainly start with the team where he became a superstar and won an MVP award in 2017-18.

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Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets have been cited as a potential landing spot for Harden going back to a Christmas Day report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

"Harden and his inner circle have been openly weighing Houston in recent months, sources said, a remarkable possibility given that he requested and received a trade out of the franchise less than two years ago," he wrote.

One notable nugget from Haynes' report is that Harden "will only entertain suitors that present a competitive roster and the basketball freedom for the star to be himself" on the court.

The Rockets wouldn't seem to fit either criteria. They are already building around a young core with Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green.

The No. 4 pick in the 2023 NBA draft could be added to that group after Tuesday's lottery results, though Michael Scotto of HoopsHype noted rival executives believe that pick will be shopped in preparation for "an aggressive push" to sign Harden.

Harden is at his best as a primary ball-handler playing in isolation and racking up assists on kickout passes. The Rockets need their young nucleus to get used to playing with the ball in their hands as they continue to develop.

Does new head coach Ime Udoka, who found success using a defense-first approach with the Boston Celtics, want to hand the keys over to a player with extreme defensive limitations like Harden?

Harden will certainly help the Rockets sell tickets because of his place as a franchise legend, but a reunion at this point in his career doesn't make sense for either side unless the only goal for both is short-term financial rewards.

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Philadelphia 76ers

Even though Sixers fans are probably ready to turn the page on Harden after two no-show performances in Games 6 and 7 against the Boston Celtics, both sides still need each other.

Philadelphia president of basketball operations Daryl Morey could use the search for a new head coach to entice Harden to stay.

Mike D'Antoni is the obvious name that stands out because of his connection to Morey and Harden from their time with the Rockets.

It's certainly worth questioning if reuniting members of the mid-2010s Rockets is a good idea in 2023, but this is where things are at in Philadelphia right now.

The 76ers don't have an obvious path to adding another high-level player if Harden leaves. They would have the $12.2 non-taxpayer midlevel exception available if he signs with another team that has cap space, per ESPN's Bobby Marks.

If the front office can find someone to take Tobias Harris' $39.3 million expiring salary for next season in a trade, it would help them as they try to fill out the roster around Embiid.

There were also times this season when the Embiid-Harden tandem played well. Philly's 54 wins were its most in a single season since the 2000-01 team went 56-26.

Harden has proved himself to not be a reliable playoff performer throughout his career. Even when he turns in two brilliant games in the same series, such as Games 1 and 4 against Boston, they get mixed in with a number of duds.

This puts even more pressure on Embiid to elevate his game in the playoffs. But the 2022-23 NBA MVP has had his own postseason struggles, including a 15-point effort on 5-of-18 shooting in Game 7 vs. Boston.

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Phoenix Suns

Few teams will be more fascinating to watch this offseason than the Phoenix Suns.

New governor Mat Ishbia has been busy trying to put his imprint on the franchise, starting with the February trade for Kevin Durant and firing head coach Monty Williams on Sunday following a second-round playoff series loss to the Denver Nuggets.

There have already been rumblings about potential trades involving Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton.

Per ESPN's Tim MacMahon, the Suns are "expected to explore" deals for Paul.

Haynes noted the Suns will "likely" guarantee all of the 38-year-old's $30.8 million salary for next season, but they have until June 28 to decide. Only $15.8 million is guaranteed if the team were to waive the future Hall of Fame point guard.

B/R's Eric Pincus noted Phoenix will "likely" reach out to the Indiana Pacers about a potential trade for Ayton, and the Portland Trail Blazers could be among the teams with interest in the veteran center.

Paul's status would be more relevant to a potential Harden pursuit because they play the same position, but the Suns would have to clear out a lot of money if they wanted to make a serious play for Harden.

Another issue would be that Harden doesn't solve the depth issue that came back to bite Phoenix in the playoffs.

The Durant trade cost the Suns Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Jae Crowder from their roster. Crowder wasn't playing for them as he held out for a trade, but Johnson and Bridges were incredibly valuable to the team.

If there is an argument for the Suns once again eschewing depth to go after a player like Harden, it's what we saw when he played with Durant and Kyrie Irving for the Brooklyn Nets.

It wasn't a large sample size for that trio, but the Nets' offense was unstoppable when they were on the court together. Devin Booker, at this stage of his career, is basically Kyrie Irving on the court without all of the extra baggage.

It's probably a long shot they would even get in the mix for Harden, but there are viable reasons it could happen if that's the direction Ishbia and president of basketball operations James Jones want to go in.