Sixers Offseason Thread Part 4

[Mik317]

this will be 2 offseasons held hostage by the GM and a player playing a game of chicken with each other.

so by that we will sign some washed up scrub next offseason and then when Biid asks out the following we can do this again lol

[NYSixersFan]

What have we done to deserve this? Not just Harden, but the last 30+ years

[HotelVitale]

Here's what I don't understand. The Clippers have $154.4M committed in salaries NEXT summer. As things stand now, if Harden tried to sign with them next summer he could get, what, the MLE at best? What possible leverage does he think he has if he threatens to sit out? Are there any warm-weather or otherwise desirable teams that seem likely to have considerable 2024 capspace and might want to sign Harden as a UFA? What am I missing?

He has the leverage of the Sixers needing to be good and get something for him, and not giving an ish about teaching him a lesson. If the point were to win this argument, yeah the Sixers would hold all the cards. But the point's to be as good as possible this year and next, and that does actually complicate the leverage here.

[Mik317]

the thing is that waiting doesn't really change much lol. No one is going to give up much for a rental and as it goes on, they will give up less due to having less time to intergrate and for him to get back up to speed.

Sure it **** him over as no one will want to pay him either but who gives a **** about that lol.

If the "plan" is to use this season as a evaluation season w/ Nurse and Maxey as the main ballhandler with an eye on next FA then trade him for some expiring wings and keep it moving already.

Feels like Morey wants to have his cake and eat it too via getting a "star" back when that isn't realistic. Ben, flawed as he was....had 4 years left and is still in his prime. Harden is not and will have asked out of his last 3 teams....not getting a star for that, AND not to mention we only got Harden because he wanted to come here and we had to give up picks and two solid role players along with Ben to do so... don't have that going for us.

These dick waving contests are lame as **** IMO and this time I don't think the offers are going to improve

[GoSixersBro]

What if Harden plays the "muh mental illness" card?

[FireMorey]

I think it’s more about having his cake and eating it too is getting Harden for one year and still being a top 3 team in the East and then getting the cap room in the summer when he’s a free agent. And Morey is calling his bluff and saying he thinks when the season starts he’ll report and play because if he doesn’t he won’t get paid. It’s a good bet to make.

And if he reports and acts out and derails the season, well the season was going to be derailed if they traded him to the clippers anyway so you might as well gamble that he reports in shape and plays well.

[Ben]

Yeah, I’ll believe it when I see it. October is still 6 weeks away so there’s plenty of time for a deal to emerge.

Maybe Harden took this China trip so he can pitch his services to the Shanghai Sharks.

Watch on YouTube

[sodmoraes]

Harden is such a bit**. Hes a great player, but never liked his atitude and his persona. He can go rot in the bench for all i care.

[eyeatoma]

AI, the reason I started following basketball and became a Sixers fan...

Read on Twitter

?t=FBmoSxLGg8c_IaprQe-0lg&s=19

[76ciology]

Well, Harden is in his expiring contract. If he sabotaged his play this season then it‘s gonna be hard for him to get paid in the offseason

I like not doing any MID trade for the Sixers. It forces them to play the right way by needing to play team basketball, aside from max cap space by the end of the season. Oh and maybe even a higher draft pick?

[76ciology]

Team’s Biggest Crises since 2019
- Jimmy Butler leaving (2019)
- Ben Simmons (2021-22)
- Furkan Korkmaz (2022 trade request)
- James Harden saga (2023)

[76thBearCub]

What if Harden plays the "muh mental illness" card?

Major problems with that is he's a year from free agency. Guy seems to have no awareness about how many teams might want him at this stage.

[M2J]

What if Harden plays the "muh mental illness" card?

Major problems with that is he's a year from free agency. Guy seems to have no awareness about how many teams might want him at this stage.

Morey ended Carmelo's career (unfairly) and burned him for 1 season. At 35 years old the summer of his free agency, Morey has maneuvered himself to be Harden's only life line. Even if he balls, teams will be hesitant, and if he sits out the whole year...he may have to play in China to get paid.

Harden has just made so many poor business decisions lately. First of all refusing to add on that $51mil a year extension with Houston; Forcing a trade to Brooklyn believing that a Kyrie led team could be stable; taking les money last year; playing hard ball this year at his age, with the taste that was in the league's mouth from his playoff performances in games 6 and 7. He should be kissing Morey's tail, to try and keep cashing in on Team options from Morey.

[Jhawk03]

If Harden actually helped lead the Sixers past Boston, and even past Miami and got to the NBA finals, would Morey and the Sixers have given him an extension already?

This question hasn't been explored enough in good faith. Too much of the narrative surrounding Harden and his value is magnified by a small sample size of the final 2 playoff games vs Boston.

[Warfelg]

If Harden actually helped lead the Sixers past Boston, and even past Miami and got to the NBA finals, would Morey and the Sixers have given him an extension already?

This question hasn't been explored enough in good faith. Too much of the narrative surrounding Harden and his value is magnified by a small sample size of the final 2 playoff games vs Boston.

What is there to explore with that. I think it’s easy to know the answer to that is yes.

And small sample size? His hole career of coming up small in games that matter play a part here. This is more like a 20 playoff game sample going into that decision.


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[Jailblazers7]

Huge respect to D-Wade for using his HOF induction to show Iverson love.

[eyeatoma]

Huge respect to D-Wade for using his HOF induction to show Iverson love.

Agreed I loved that!

[the_process]

Harden’s camp responds to Morey:

Read on Twitter

Better to sit on him instead of trade him for scraps. And if he wants to get paid he has to play.

In this case, I couldn't disagree more strongly.

For Simmons, what Morey did made sense and worked out. Simmons had 4 years left and had a mental breakdown apparently about something Glenn said.

For Harden, you dump him and move on. He's expiring, asked out three times in just under two years. and is a choker/quitter as we were all reminded of just three months ago. The offers won't get better because the control time is wasting away.

Morey really needs to go. Twice in three years he has this stuff happen? The clown show FO continues.

[the_process]

What if Harden plays the "muh mental illness" card?

Major problems with that is he's a year from free agency. Guy seems to have no awareness about how many teams might want him at this stage.

Morey ended Carmelo's career (unfairly) and burned him for 1 season. At 35 years old the summer of his free agency, Morey has maneuvered himself to be Harden's only life line. Even if he balls, teams will be hesitant, and if he sits out the whole year...he may have to play in China to get paid.

Harden has just made so many poor business decisions lately. First of all refusing to add on that $51mil a year extension with Houston; Forcing a trade to Brooklyn believing that a Kyrie led team could be stable; taking les money last year; playing hard ball this year at his age, with the taste that was in the league's mouth from his playoff performances in games 6 and 7. He should be kissing Morey's tail, to try and keep cashing in on Team options from Morey.

IIRC, Melo came back and had a couple nice years for POR off the bench after his Houston debacle. It was all about accepting limitations. Star players are notoriously bad at this recognition.

[Arsenal]

Harden’s camp responds to Morey:

Read on Twitter

Better to sit on him instead of trade him for scraps. And if he wants to get paid he has to play.

In this case, I couldn't disagree more strongly.

For Simmons, what Morey did made sense and worked out. Simmons had 4 years left and had a mental breakdown apparently about something Glenn said.

For Harden, you dump him and move on. He's expiring, asked out three times in just under two years. and is a choker/quitter as we were all reminded of just three months ago. The offers won't get better because the control time is wasting away.

Morey really needs to go. Twice in three years he has this stuff happen? The clown show FO continues.

Disagree 100% with your disagreement. The offers from LAC have a good chance of getting better. They're under pressure just like we are.

And the fact he's under contract for only 1 year is a good thing, not a bad thing. Contenders that trade for him get to assess him next year before committing to a big/long-term deal, and will have Early Bird Rights so they'll likely be Harden's best or only option. They'll have leverage over him just like we do now.

But that requires trading for him since LAC or other contenders won't have cap next summer to sign him.