In 2022, James Harden left the Brooklyn Nets and joined the Philadelphia 76ers through a trade. This decision may not have been the best for the former MVP, who had previously played with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. A user on the r/nba subreddit analyzed that Harden could be losing around $100,000,000 in salary after joining the Sixers, where he currently earns $33,000,000 annually – a significant decrease from his Nets salary.
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Harden has a history of forcing trades, leading him to move from the Brooklyn Nets to the Philadelphia 76ers. While playing with Durant, he had the opportunity to improve and earn a good paycheck. There are now fresh rumors about Harden being traded again, with talks pointing towards a potential move to the Los Angeles Clippers in the offseason.
James Harden moving from the Brooklyn Nets might have been a $100,000,000 loss decision for the 2018 NBA MVP
A post on r/nba analyzes James Harden’s move to the Philadelphia 76ers last season. According to the post, Harden could have earned $275,400,000 with the Nets if he hadn’t turned down their max contract offer in 2022.
In joining the Philadelphia 76ers, Harden took a significant pay cut for a one-year deal with a player option. This move allowed the team to add P.J. Tucker, who the Sixers view as a crucial addition to their roster.
After the 2022-23 season, Harden may not receive any max contract offers. He has to settle for the second season of his player contract, earning only $35,600,000 for the year. The Sixers could have signed him on a max contract, valued at around $175,000,000, but he rejected an offer worth $100 million more from the Nets.
Now 35 years old, Harden’s starting salary in the upcoming free agency is expected to be $33,000,000. The best deal he could get at this stage is projected to be a four-year contract worth $148,000,000. Some NBA teams have noticed Harden’s trend of rejecting contracts and may be cautious about offering him a lucrative deal, considering his age nearing the late 30s.
Harden might now be pursuing an NBA ring rather than a lucrative contract
James Harden may have rejected lucrative contracts due to his desire for his first NBA ring. Despite excelling in various individual player aspects throughout his 12-season-long career, he has yet to secure an NBA championship.
In 2012, Harden had an opportunity to win an NBA ring with his draft team, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, he formed an incredible trio that posed a significant challenge to LeBron James and Dwyane Wade’s Miami Heat in the Finals. However, OKC lost the series 4-1, granting LeBron James his first NBA ring and Finals MVP title.
