The free agency of James Harden has long been expected to come down between the Philadelphia 76ers and Houston Rockets, but he is not believed to have made up his mind yet on his decision.
“I don’t think he knows, as far as what I know about his mindset, I don’t think he totally is there,” said Shams Charania on the Ryen Russillo podcast. “We’re less than a month out from free agency starting. I really think he’s torn with the prospect of staying in Philadelphia or moving on to Houston potentially and returning back to his home. That’s where his roots are and his family there of course. They’ve got upwards of $60 million [in cap space]. They can make even more money available. Close to $70 million in cap space.
“They’re going to have a ton of money and I think this is a team in Houston where I do believe they are going to be aggressive in the marketplace, potentially two-year deals, balloon-type deals. I’ve heard whether it’s Dillon Brooks, Brook Lopez, obviously James Harden. They’re going to be a team that’s going to be trying to beef up that roster. Now, whether that’s anywhere from three to five veteran players…
“My sense right now is that James Harden is someone who is torn.”
The Sixers fired Doc Rivers this offseason and have hired Nick Nurse as his replacement, which is an element Harden would have to figure out on what that looks like moving forward. Houston
“My sense right now is this is someone that is torn,” added Charania. “I think whichever way it goes, it’s going to be relatively close. That’s why as we get closer to July 1, June 30th, those conversations that he’s going to have, as he becomes a free agent, with Nick Nurse and with Daryl Morey, what their vision is for him, what their vision is for that team, what that offer ultimately is going to be versus comparing it to whatever Houston comes with on June 30th or July 1, those are all very important factors. This is a guy that you would assume would sit down with both teams. Philadelphia is going to have a window earlier, potentially going in and scheduling meetings. This is a situation now where we’re going to see which way it lands.”