James Harden To Houston Rumors Have Popped Up Once Again

ESPN sources predicted a significant change for Philadelphia if they hit the second-round wall once more with the Sixers in control of the Brooklyn series and a second-round matchup against Boston looming.

Following their finest regular season in more than 20 years, the Sixers are dominating their playoff series, and Joel Embiid will probably be named the league’s MVP in the upcoming weeks. What a great moment for some fresh free-agency rumors to surface.

In the most recent episode of the Woj Pod, Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN provided updates on a number of playoff matchups and storylines before discussing the impending showdown between the Sixers and Celtics. Or, to put it more accurately, the two seasoned reporters talked about the importance of round 2 for Philadelphia and the potential effects of an early defeat on the team.

Here is the quote that is now trending on Twitter:

Yet Philadelphia, right? If they don’t, there will be changed there; if they advance to the Finals, there may be change. James Harden’s future in Philadelphia is very uncertain. He is highly interested in Houston, and I believe that much will depend on whether or not they succeed and win. Also, will it be simple to pay him a large sum of money over the long term? Alternatively, he may simply want to return to Houston, where he will travel whether the team wins or loses; in any case, the situation will differ. 

Woj Pod

The two spoke about the scenario and the stakes involved in these playoffs in great detail; nonetheless, the overall message was that the Sixers are under a lot of pressure throughout this run since an early departure might result in tremendous change in Philadelphia. And at this time, there isn’t really a disagreement about that. Barring a shocking turn of circumstances, they won’t be favoured when they face the Celtics in round 2, but it doesn’t really matter. The most obvious pressure point if they get trapped there is Harden’s future. Hitting the same second-round wall is not considered a desirable conclusion.

Both parties in the relationship contribute to that. On the team’s side, a second-round departure with Harden faltering in a primetime game would force some awkward discussions about what his value is right now, the following year, and over the course of what would undoubtedly be a costly contract. No matter how the playoff run turns out, it will be expensive to be in the Harden business, and while everyone has said how happy they are with this relationship thus far, playoff performances test that assertion more than anything else. Everything has been leading up to this run and this time.

If you see the situation through Harden’s perspective, it’s simple to conclude that his decision to defect to Houston is evidence that his assertions about wanting to win are false. But you’d have to consider if Harden would be unrealistic to consider leaving a team that (theoretically) couldn’t get past the second round after years of trying and making significant adjustments in order to pursue that objective. For a while, Giannis Anteokounmpo will still be in his prime. Philadelphia’s stars are older than the Celtics’ primary players. Being “the president” in Houston, in my opinion—and you can see how someone may persuade themselves otherwise—is running away from a fight that is worth fighting.

The Sixers could win big and everyone’s flowchart would get a lot cleaner in that scenario. Perhaps Embiid’s MVP performance leads to a rise to the position of the league’s undisputed greatest player. Perhaps Harden realizes it and holds on for as long as he can. The single most crucial aspect in what occurs this summer is this playoff journey the team is on, so Woj, Shelburne, and Co. are not just making stuff up; we’re all operating with limited knowledge. 

In all honesty, I don’t believe anyone with the Sixers—not even James Harden—is currently really considering this matter. The importance of this season has been obvious to the major players all year, and in the NBA of today, the worry of losing top talent is a constant reality. It’s a world where athletes sign contract extensions only to soon demand trades, where athletes can meet in a tunnel over All-Star weekend to discuss their free agency strategies only to publicly deny that anything of the like is taking place.

I can imagine that many folks will be annoyed by this scenario on the day of a Sixers playoff game after hearing or reading it. Try not to worry about it, as improbable as it may seem. Even though, tragically, their most likely outcome is a loss to Boston in round two, Philadelphia’s two stars give them a solid shot to win a championship this season, so that’s what matters right now. 

With the way the league has skewed, it is difficult to aspire for or anticipate more than that. For as long as they endure, take advantage of the games and the ride.