New Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse has met with James Harden, according to NBA insider Kelly Iko of The Athletic.
Harden is expected to decline his 2023-24 player option with the Sixers and become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Iko told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype that Harden is very big on family, which could impact his decision.
“I know that Nick Nurse was in Houston maybe a week and a half ago and met with Danuel House and James Harden,” Iko said. “I know everyone saw the press conference where he kind of ducked the question about James when he said he’s a winning player and he’d love to have him in Philadelphia.
“When you look at it from a basketball perspective, staying with the MVP and a Final-winning coach makes a lot of sense,” Iko explained. “But, when it comes to James, one thing I’ve learned being around him for so long is there are things outside of a 48-minute game that motivate him. His family. He’s very big on family. He’s big on giving back to the community and quality of life.
“There are other things surrounding a potential return to Houston that have nothing to do with Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., or Alperen Sengun that people need to realize. This is what makes this decision so difficult for him.
Iko believes Harden will return to the Houston Rockets this offseason. The 10-time All-Star played in 621 games with the Rockets from 2012 to 2021.
“If you ask me personally, I think he’s coming back, but I’m not in the rooms where the teams will be putting money on the table,” Iko said. “At the end of the day, James will always do what he wants to do. He can’t be talked into anything. He moves to the beat of his own drum more than any player I’ve seen covering the league.”
Harden averaged 29.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 7.7 assists with the Rockets. He’s one of the best players in franchise history.
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