James Harden is set to stay with the Philadelphia 76ers having agreed on a new two-year $68.6 million contract according to reports.
Harden joined the 76ers from the Brooklyn Nets in a February trade involving Ben Simmons but he failed to take his new side to the NBA Finals.
With Harden teaming up with MVP candidate Joel Embiid, the pair threatened to lead the 76ers to their first championship since 1983, but they lost in the Conference Semi-Finals to the Miami Heat.
The new deal includes a player option for the 2023-24 season according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Harden had declined a $47.4 million player option for next season, but accepted a pay cut for the upcoming season, enabling them to land PJ Tucker and Danuel House in the free agency market.
The 32-year-old averaged 22 points and 10.3 assists last season for both the Nets and 76ers after a slow start.
Harden battled hamstring issues, having been plagued by soft-tissue injuries following his trade from the Houston Rockets to the Nets in 2021.
Harden knows 76ers president Daryl Morey well from the pair’s time together at the Houston Rockets.
The 2018 NBA MVP is a 10-time All-Star but he hasnt averaged above 25 points per game since the 2019-20 season.
