Woj: James Harden 'Could Have Had' $40M Per Year on 76ers Contract in 2023 NBA FA

While it didn't equal a full max contract, James Harden may have forfeited a significant payday when he opted in to his 2023-24 salary with the Philadelphia 76ers.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday on his podcast (via RealGM) that Harden "potentially could have had a two- or three-year max deal with the Sixers probably around $40 million a year."

Instead, the 10-time All-Star picked up his $35.6 million player option and requested a trade from Philly.

This wouldn't be the first time he was his own worst enemy during extension negotiations.

In October 2021, Harden reportedly declined a three-year, $161 million offer from the Brooklyn Nets with designs on securing a four-year, $227 million contract the following summer.

Harden's value proceeded to fall sharply thanks to the drama surrounding his trade from the Nets to the Sixers and his performance on the court. He signed a two-year, $68.6 million deal to return to Philly, which he framed partially as a benevolent gesture to help the franchise fill out the roster.

Most assumed the 34-year-old's decision to pick up the player option reflected a dearth of worthwhile alternatives.

Wojnarowski's report leaves some room for interpretation because he didn't definitively state the Sixers were prepared to put an $80 million or $120 million pact on the table.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said in June on Get Up his impression was that Philly would be "willing to give him the pay increase at the max contract or near the max" but that "the question is years."

If Harden did effectively decline a multiyear contract with Philly that averaged around $40 million annually, then he either grew determined to leave or potentially misjudged his market in a big way. He's simply no longer the same player he was when he led the NBA in scoring for three straight seasons and won an MVP, and he's not getting any younger.

It's difficult to see a full max contract materializing in 2024 given both his age and overall trajectory.