All signs point to James Harden returning to 76ers on short-term contract extension

Two weeks from the beginning of NBA free agency on June 30 at 6 p.m. ET, all signs point toward All-Star guard James Harden returning to the Philadelphia 76ers on a shorter-term contract extension, league sources told B/R.
Source: Jake Fischer @ Bleacher Report

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
The newser on James Harden plus my thoughts on the contract and Harden’s presence here #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/2022/06/16/rep… via @SixersWire – 1:08 PM

Austin Krell @NBAKrell
Harden taking a shorter-term deal is pretty much ideal for PHI. The degree to which the $47.4 mill option stings depends on how they view the free-agent market. If they don’t love what’s out there, the opt-in doesn’t really matter anyway. – 12:38 PM

Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
The final decision on James Harden’s contract status will likely affect everything else the Sixers do this offseason (plus some important things moving forward).
A look at some of the more important ripple effects: theathletic.com/3368679/2022/0… – 11:59 AM

Jim Eichenhofer @Jim_Eichenhofer
Total #NBA players in 2021-22 who appeared in all 82 games: 5
Total NBA players in 2010-11 who appeared in all 82 games: 32 (including Kobe, Harden, Westbrook, Pau Gasol, Jrue)
Players in 2021-22 who appeared in 81+ games: 9
Players in 2010-11 who appeared in 81+ games: 52 – 11:47 AM

Austin Krell @NBAKrell
If Harden opts into his deal, the Sixers will have 2 options:
1) Stay at the $6.4 million taxpayer MLE and narrow their free-agent search.
2) Get to the $10.3 million non-taxpayer MLE by orchestrating a trade involving Korkmaz, Niang, or Thybulle & take nothing back. – 1:15 PM

John Gonzalez @JohnGonzalez
Harden for Wiggins – 11:32 PM

More on this storyline

Sixers ownership, though, has been resistant to the idea of giving Harden a full four-year maximum contract extension beyond his 2022-23 option season, sources told B/R, or the five-year deal that Harden would be eligible for if he chose to decline his $47.4 million player option for next season. Signing perhaps a two-year extension after his option season to create a new three-year framework would also provide Harden with greater optionality for his own career. -via Bleacher Report / June 16, 2022

In any scenario, Harden is expected to pick up his player option for the 2022-23 season, sources said, but the Sixers’ further financial commitment to him remains to be seen once the legal negotiating period begins. Since Philadelphia acquired Harden in a trade in mid-February, it would behoove him financially to wait until Aug. 10 before signing an extension, more than six months after the Sixers sent Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks to Brooklyn for the 32-year-old former MVP. -via Bleacher Report / June 16, 2022

Portland does not appear to be a legitimate landing spot for restricted free agent Deandre Ayton, sources said. The Trail Blazers are expected to retain starting center Jusuf Nurkic, and they are prioritizing Toronto Raptors swingman OG Anunoby in any return for the No. 7 pick in next week’s draft, sources said. -via Bleacher Report / June 16, 2022