“For Other Players, That’s a Max Contract”: Sixers Star James Harden Reveals Why He Took a Pay Cut to Help the Franchise
After suffering a nagging hamstring ailment that caused the three-time NBA scoring champion to experience unusual uncertainty over the previous two seasons, James Harden is promising a return to his high-scoring form. James Harden pushed his way out of two teams in the previous two seasons in an effort to capture a title.
Harden first relocated from Houston to Brooklyn, where he joined forces with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. That, however, didn’t go as planned. He negotiated his way out of Brooklyn at the trade deadline the previous year and ended up with Joel Embiid and the Sixers. They were regarded as the front-runners for the title. They were, however, beaten in the second round.
The buzz over not granting Harden a maximum deal would see Harden facing harsh criticism. Despite having a player option, the Sixers guard chose to accept a $15M pay reduction. The Sixers star wants to free up salary cap space so that additional players may join. Thus, a two-year, $68M contract was reached by Harden and the Sixers.
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James Harden opens up on taking a pay cut
“Taking less money this year to sign as many players as we needed to help us contend and be the last team standing was very, very important to me,” Harden said via NBC Philadelphia.
“I wanted to show the organization, the Sixers fans, and everybody else who supports what we’re trying to accomplish, what I’m trying to accomplish individually, that this is what I’m about. For any other players, that’s a max contract, but it’s like, for me, I was not the same James Harden.”
Just one goal for James Harden 🏆
(via Yahoo Sports) pic.twitter.com/q9PVWpf7RF
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 18, 2022
P. J. Tucker and Danuel House, two free agents, were signed by the Sixers. In Houston, Harden previously shared the field with both. He acknowledges that he has been closely collaborating with Joel Embiid and Daryl Morey to comprehend what the club needs to succeed.
so they viewed it as a down year. I was in Philadelphia for a couple of months and I had to learn on the fly. That’s just what it was. I’m in a good space physically and mentally right now, and I’m just looking forward to next season.”
via: https://t.co/r7v124Pllt— Dubs pls get some Bigs (@dubs3000) July 18, 2022
That is the fundamental justification for his accepting a sizable $15 million pay reduction. Fans of Philadelphia would hope that Harden and the Sixers have a positive outcome and that his salary reduction results in their long-awaited title.
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