Sixers rumors: Could Mike D’Antoni lure James Harden to Philly?

By Christopher Kline | Sep 25, 2020

Josh Richardson | Sixers (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images) /

Could the Sixers snatch a perennial MVP candidate?

The Philadelphia 76ers are expected to choose between Mike D’Antoni and Tyronn Lue to fill their vacancy at head coach. Right now, D’Antoni is the favorite — and a source of divisiveness among the fanbase. One needs only to juxtapose D’Antoni’s career-long success with the rosters he has had success with. The Sixers do not fit. There are definite pros and cons to weigh.

With that said, Philadelphia may aspire to a more D’Antoni-friendly roster in the future. In fact, according to John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia, some members of the Sixers organization view D’Antoni as a potential pathway to James Harden.

Harden currently has two years of fully guaranteed money left on his contract, with a player option for 2022-23 set at $47.4 million. That is a lot of money for a guard entering his age 34 season, so Houston has no reason to rush into a trade. The Rockets and Harden are still geared up to compete in the coming years.

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While Harden will probably remain in Houston for now, it’s not out of the question for him to demand a trade down the line. The Rockets are stuck between a rock and a hard place with Russell Westbrook’s contract, and if Houston doesn’t get better in D’Antoni’s absence, Harden could get restless. His prime years won’t last forever.

If Harden does force his way out, or he does become a free agent in 2022, of course the Sixers should have interest. He’s one of the five best players in basketball — a perennial MVP candidate who averaged 34.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 7.5 assists last season.

Some have pushed back against the idea of Harden in Philadelphia, citing his poor fit. My rebuttal is simple — don’t overthink it. Harden can elevate almost any system, and just because Houston runs almost exclusively iso-ball (or did under D’Antoni) doesn’t mean Harden can’t diversify his approach to account for the likes of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.

Harden is a dynamic shooter, a pick-and-roll maestro, and one of the most efficient point generators in the league. He can tear defenses apart every which way, and to act as if his domineering style might conflict with Embiid is to ignore the inarguable benefits of two top-10 players. It’s not as though the current roster is a great fit either.

Whether it’s via trade or via free agency, the Sixers would do well to snatch Harden. Obviously. He’s James freakin’ Harden. A trade may involve the departure of Ben Simmons, but for all Simmons can bring to a team, he’s simply not on Harden’s level. Harden turns Philadelphia into immediate favorites in the East.

Age is a factor, and Harden will not get younger. Some will also point to Harden’s inability to get over the hump in the postseason. At the end of the day, Harden has led the NBA’s most explosive offense since his arrival in Houston. He has also gotten painstakingly close to glory, despite battling the seemingly unconquerable Golden State Warriors. He’s a championship player, and the East presents a much easier path.

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Do not count on D’Antoni luring Harden to Philadelphia. In fact, do not count on Philadelphia even hiring D’Antoni. There is, however, mutual respect between coach and player, and the Sixers should take any and every opportunity to add MVP-caliber talent to the roster.