Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are being investigated for possible tampering centered on the contracts of James Harden, P.J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr., but head coach Doc Rivers adamantly denied the allegations Tuesday.

"Well, you just do. You handle it, because it's not true," Rivers said during an appearance on ESPN's The VC Show. "Honestly, when James did this and said this, first of all, we didn't know what we were going to do with the money we were getting.

"... Listen, it worked out for us. It worked out for James. This was not something—I guarantee you Daryl [Morey] had no idea what James was going to do. I remember talking to him on the eve of when James can opt in or out and he's like, 'We got five hours left.' I mean, that was Daryl Morey. So, that tells you he had no idea."

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported last week that one of the "central elements" of the NBA's investigation is focused on Harden declining his $47.4 million player option for 2022-23 to take a pay cut on a two-year, $68 million deal.

The second year of Harden's new contract includes a player option.

"Around the league, there have been questions about whether there is already a handshake agreement in place on a future contract—which would be in violation of collective bargaining rules," Wojnarowski added.

Harden said in an interview with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that he told the 76ers he declined the player option so they could improve the team's roster to compete for a championship:

"I had conversations with Daryl, and it was explained how we could get better and what the market value was for certain players. I told Daryl to improve the roster, sign who we needed to sign and give me whatever is left over. This is how bad I want to win. I want to compete for a championship. That's all that matters to me at this stage. I'm willing to take less to put us in position to accomplish that."

The Sixers used that freed-up money to sign Tucker to a three-year, $33.2 million deal and House to a two-year, $8.5 million contract.

Morey has already begun answering questions from league attorneys, per Wojnarowski. Other team personnel will also be interviewed, and the Sixers will have to give investigators a history of electronic correspondence and phone records.

After being eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals the past two seasons, the 76ers knew they needed to make upgrades to the roster to compete with the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat for conference supremacy.

Harden declining his player option allowed the franchise to do just that, and now he'll join Tucker, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris in the starting lineup, with House, Matisse Thybulle, De'Anthony Melton, Furkan Korkmaz, Shake Milton and Georges Niang coming off the bench.

With the new-look roster, the Sixers have the third-best odds to win the Eastern Conference at +700, tied with the Heat and Brooklyn Nets, per FanDuel. They also have the sixth-best odds to win the NBA title at +1500, also tied with the Heat and Nets.

If the 76ers are found to have committed a tampering violation, they could lose at least one draft pick. Last year, the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat each lost a second-round pick after league investigators found they made early contact with then-free agents Lonzo Ball and Kyle Lowry, respectively.

Joel Embiid is one step closer to playing for the French national team.

Former NBA forward Boris Diaw, who now serves as France's general manager for international competition, said Embiid has been accepted as a citizen and will soon apply to play for the country.

"His [Joel Embiid's] request for naturalization has been accepted," Diaw told L'Equipe. "We know that he’s still waiting for the French passport. When he obtains it, then he can start the process and apply for a FIBA license for the national team.

"He would've liked to play this summer if he hadn't been injured. But he underwent hand surgery and didn't return to basketball."

Embiid was born and raised in Cameroon but has family in France. The process of him joining the French team has been several months in the making, setting the potential stage for Embiid to be part of the 2024 Olympic roster.

FIBA rules allow one naturalized citizen to be part of each country's roster. Embiid would instantly be the best player on the French national team, which earned a silver medal in the 2020 Summer Games.

The current group of players eligible for the 2024 Olympics include Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum, Evan Fournier, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Frank Ntilikina, Theo Maledon and Victor Wembanyama. The last player is considered the overwhelming favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft.

If Embiid is added to that crop of players, the United States may face its most formidable test on the international stage since the Gasol-led Spain national team of the late 2000s and early 2010s.

A championship is about the only thing missing from James Harden's resume, and he wants to change that on the Philadelphia 76ers.

"This is where I want to be. This is where I want to win, and I think we have the pieces to accomplish that goal," Harden said in a statement Wednesday as the team announced his new deal. "From my first day with the 76ers organization, the team and the fans have helped me feel at home here in Philadelphia. I'm excited to build off of last season and I can't wait to get out on the court with the guys and start this journey."

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the 10-time All-Star and 2017-18 league MVP agreed to a two-year, $68.6 million deal featuring a player option to stay with the 76ers. In doing so, he turned down a $47.4 million player option for 2022-23 and will make $33 million during the upcoming campaign.

The pay cut allowed Philadelphia to use the full mid-level exception to add P.J. Tucker and the bi-annual exception to sign Danuel House, underscoring Harden's sentiment that winning is his primary goal.

Few teams and players will be under more of a spotlight this season than Philadelphia and Harden.

The last time the 76ers advanced past the second round of the playoffs was when Allen Iverson was stepping over Tyronn Lue in the 2001 NBA Finals. Anything less than another Finals appearance would be seen as a major disappointment with a loaded roster that features Harden, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris.

That is even more the case after the front office bolstered the team's depth and versatility with the additions of Tucker, House and De'Anthony Melton this offseason.

Yet the 76ers will need Harden to be much better in the playoffs than he was last season when he averaged 4.8 turnovers per game in a second-round loss to the Miami Heat. He attempted just nine field goals and didn't score a single point in the second half of the Game 6 loss that ended his team's season.

"I'm sure since we got him, everybody expected the Houston James Harden," Embiid told reporters. "But that's not who he is anymore."

It probably won't be who he is in 2022-23 considering he turns 33 years old next month, but a slightly better version may be enough to lift the 76ers to the next level given the amount of talent elsewhere on the roster.

Then Harden could accomplish his goal of winning in Philadelphia.

A cynic would say James Harden, Daryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to an under-the-table, multiyear plan to skirt the rules to try to build a championship contender. An NBA optimist, recognizing prearranged deals are illegal, would suggest that all sides are simply working together toward a common goal.

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Harden has agreed to re-sign with the Sixers on a "two-year, $68.6 million contract, including a player option for the 2023-24 season."

Harden will undoubtedly opt out of his final year at $35.6 million to sign at a new max salary starting at $46.6 million—at least that's what more than one competing executive expects.

The perception, to some, has the Sixers rewarding Harden for helping Morey, president of basketball operations, "bring the band back together," as an NBA agent termed it—referring to the former Houston Rockets players recently added to the Philadelphia roster.

That's where Morey seems to be looking back maybe more than he's looking ahead.

Harden, declining his $47.4 million option, amounts to a projected $14.4 million pay cut, allowing Morey to use the team's non-taxpayer mid-level exception on PJ Tucker and bi-annual exception on Danuel House (who both played with Harden, under Morey, in Houston).

But did the 76ers go far enough with a one-plus-one? Why didn't the team want a long-term arrangement at a cheaper price?

Had Harden opted in or re-signed at the max, the 76ers wouldn't have had the flexibility to sign both former Rockets. But Tucker is 37. House is a role player. Harden will be 34 by opening night in 2023, presumably re-signed at the max if the cynic is correct.

The move was close to the B/R recommendation from May that Harden should opt out to sign a cheaper but still substantiative multiyear deal in Philadelphia. The move would save the franchise significant luxury taxes, of which part could be kicked back to Harden via a longer deal at a lower price.

Harden once again holds leverage as he did in Brooklyn with the Nets before he forced his way to Philadelphia.

The Sixers could have used the opportunity to lock him in on a longer deal near $35 million per season—similar to what Chris Paul did in Phoenix with the Suns. Paul opted out to take a lower salary ahead of the 2021-22 season on a more lucrative four-year, $120 million contract (with $75 million guaranteed).

Or maybe it's the 76ers who are hedging their bets. Joel Embiid is in his prime, while Harden may not be anymore.

"I'm sure since we got him, everybody expected the Houston James Harden, but that's not who he is anymore," was Embiid's take after the Miami Heat eliminated the Sixers in the conference semifinals last season.

Whether it's new rule interpretations or just slippage, Harden's ability to attack the basket and parade to the free-throw line has dipped. His defense was never a strength.

While Embiid, 28, has eclipsed Harden as an MVP candidate, he clearly needs help. Like so many of the great big men in the history of the NBA, he's reliant on guards to get him the ball. Philadelphia should be strong with Harden, Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, De'Anthony Melton and now Tucker and House.

This may be one of the best supporting casts Embiid has had since he played with Jimmy Butler in 2018-19, but that's supposing Harden resurges.

Maybe those worrying about circumvention are just paranoid. Perhaps Morey is protecting the Sixers from overinvesting in Harden. The guard took a discount, and the 76ers could hold the line on a similarly priced contract next season should he opt out.

Still, locking him down longer on a better number could prevent overpaying Harden should he spike this season. That may be why the cynics are convinced Philadelphia is working the system to gain flexibility and then pay Harden.

Embiid needs that star running mate, and while Harden is a high-volume shooter, he is also a willing playmaker. It could still work, but it's dangerous tying up so much in two stars if one is fading.

Morey, Harden and the Sixers may have come together creatively to forge a champion. But If the two can't fully mesh this year, is Morey strong enough to pivot should Harden opt out?

Or will the relationship, forged through years of working together in Houston, take priority over the product on the court?

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com, and follow him on Twitter, @EricPincus.

James Harden was willing to sacrifice for the greater good when he lined up his return to the Philadelphia 76ers this summer.

In an interview with Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes, the 10-time All-Star said he wanted the Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey to focus on strengthening the roster while factoring him into the equation:

I had conversations with Daryl, and it was explained how we could get better and what the market value was for certain players. I told Daryl to improve the roster, sign who we needed to sign and give me whatever is left over. This is how bad I want to win. I want to compete for a championship. That's all that matters to me at this stage. I'm willing to take less to put us in position to accomplish that.

Harden is still getting $34 million annually from his two-year pact with Philadelphia, so it's not as if he's making the veteran minimum. He did leave some money on the table in the short term by declining his player option for 2022-23.

The Sixers, in turn, used the savings to sign P.J. Tucker for three years and $33 million after star center Joel Embiid identified the need for a Tucker-type player on the roster.

As much as Harden can frame his contract as a magnanimous act, the deal is also likely a reflection of the fact neither the Sixers nor any other contender was prepared to table a max offer his way. In May, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported the prevailing wisdom around the league was that Philly didn't want to go down that route.

The 32-year-old has seen his stock slide in recent seasons. Between his spells with the Sixers and Brooklyn Nets in 2021-22, he averaged 22.0 points, 10.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds. His shooting (41.0 percent overall and 33.0 percent on three-pointers) was cause for concern.

Then came another disappearing act in a must-win playoff game as Harden went 4-of-9 for 11 points in a loss to the Miami Heat. He chalked his struggles partially up to the team's offense and ball movement.

The game was so bad it looked like a separation between Harden and Philadelphia was at least plausible.

It appears as though Harden is working to reverse the narrative. Prior to the Haynes interview, a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium laid out how "everyone around Harden has understood the focus on his workout regimen this offseason and a championship goal for 2022-23."

Harden told Haynes he's in a "good space physically and mentally right now."

The 2017-18 MVP is certainly saying all of the right things for now, and it's not difficult to get behind the idea he can enjoy a return to form with the benefit of a full offseason in Philadelphia. He won't have to deal with the off-court drama that plagued his final year in Brooklyn, too.

If Harden gets off to a sluggish start in 2022-23, though, then the sense of optimism may begin to fade quickly.

James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers have reportedly agreed to a two-year contract with a player option in the second season.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Harden is taking a $15 million pay cut for the 2022-23 season.

The move doesn't come as a surprise, even after Harden declined his $47.4 million player option Wednesday. The reporting at the time indicated that the veteran point guard did so to give the Sixers more salary-cap space and options for improving the roster in free agency.

In turn, the Sixers have signed P.J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr. with the anticipated cap flexibility Harden afforded them.

Harden, 32, averaged 21 points, 10.5 assists and 7.1 rebounds in 21 games for the Philadelphia 76ers last season after he was acquired in a February trade with the Brooklyn Nets, shooting 40.2 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from three.

While there are concerns about Harden's waning burst and a reluctance to aggressively seek his own shot in Philly—especially in the playoffs last year, when he attempted just 13.2 shots per game and averaged 18.6 points—he formed a natural pick-and-roll partnership with Joel Embiid.

Philadelphia scored a whopping 120.3 points per 100 possessions when Harden was on the court during the regular season, per NBA.com. When he sat, that offensive rating dropped to 107.7.

The Sixers have attached their title hopes to the partnership of Embiid and Harden, and the continued emergence of combo guard Tyrese Maxey gives them another key piece to build around.

It isn't a surprise that Harden stayed in Philly—that was always the plan.

"I'll be here," Harden told reporters after the Sixers' Game 6 loss to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. "Whatever allows us to continue to grow and get better and do the things necessary to win and compete at a high level."

All that's left to do is secure the ever-elusive championship ring.

The Philadelphia 76ers were among the many teams to touch base with the Brooklyn Nets about a potential trade for Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving, but "nothing happened there," a source told Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

Durant sent shockwaves throughout the NBA when he requested a trade from the Nets last week, and it makes sense for the 76ers to at least see if a deal is possible. However, the return package must be big in order to land the 12-time All-Star with four years left on his contract.

According to Lewis, the Nets are "eyeing" players like Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards.

A trade for Irving could be more likely, with Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium listing Philadelphia as a potential landing spot for the point guard along with the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks.

Durant reportedly has a preference to land with the Phoenix Suns or Miami Heat, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Irving has been heavily linked to the Los Angeles Lakers, with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports noting there is "palpable optimism" that a deal could get done.

The 76ers, meanwhile, are seemingly planning to run it back with last year's group. James Harden opted out of the final year of his contract, although he is meeting with the team to renegotiate a new deal, per Haynes. Harden also has a long-standing relationship with 76ers president Daryl Morey from their time together with the Houston Rockets.

After the Nets traded Harden at the February deadline, it seems unlikely the guard would spend next season alongside either Durant or Irving.

Philadelphia also has an emerging talent in Tyrese Maxey, who can provide the type of perimeter scoring the team would get from Irving.

Taking into account their current backcourt along with a healthy Joel Embiid, the Sixers might already have enough to contend for a championship in 2022-23.

James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers will meet this weekend to negotiate a new contract, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Harden declined his $47.3 million option with the Sixers earlier this week to become a free agent. Although he is expected to re-sign in Philly, his decision to opt out will provide the franchise with a little more financial flexibility this summer.

"In Harden's conversations with the team since the end of the season, he has shared extensively his desire to help the organization reshape the roster toward championship contention," sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

That flexibility has already allowed the Sixers to agree to a three-year, $33.2 million contract with P.J. Tucker, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, and to a two-year, $8.5 million deal with Danuel House Jr., per Wojnarowski. Both players will undoubtedly help the team's perimeter defense, which lacked last season.

Harden was traded to Philadelphia from the Brooklyn Nets in February. In 21 regular-season games, he averaged 21.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 10.5 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 40.2 percent from the floor and 32.6 percent from deep.

However, the addition of the 32-year-old didn't end up paying off for the Sixers in the postseason as they were eliminated by the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

In 12 playoff games, Harden averaged 18.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.6 assists while shooting 40.5 percent from the floor and 36.8 percent from deep.

With Harden, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey all set to hit the floor together again during the 2022-23 season, the Sixers should once again be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

However, the additions of Tucker and House, and possibly others, will help Philadelphia contend with teams such as the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics, who have reached the NBA Finals over the last two seasons.

The Sixers have the seventh-best odds to win the 2023 title at +1200, per FanDuel. Depending on what other moves the franchise makes this summer, those odds could greatly improve.

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