Windhorst: Sixers “Have Not Shown an Appetite to Pay Harden the Max”

Windhorst on PTI this week:

Brian Windhorst says the Sixers are unmotivated to give Harden the max. He also says that Harden may be selling the idea of going back to Houston, a little too hard. (Using Houston as contract leverage with Philly). The Sixers bringing Harden back on a deal lower than the $50m… pic.twitter.com/xSN56t2AiW

— Aidan LaPorta (@aidanlaporta69) May 25, 2023

The Houston thing was first reported back in December via Woj. Chris Haynes and Keith Pompey have also reported some version of the story that Harden intends to opt out and go back to the Rockets.

Windy says this at the end of the clip:

“The Sixers are not really motivated to pay him that max salary if they don’t think anybody else is gonna do it.”

That’s pretty much the key here. What other teams out there are licking their chops to max Harden? Can’t imagine that’s much of a thing, so the Sixers will read the market and perhaps see if there’s a possibility of offering the former MVP a non-max extension. That, of course, would have to also require Harden wanting to play here, for whomever the new coach will end up being.

A lot of moving parts right now.

Keith was on Crossing Broadcast Thursday:

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