James Harden Already Holds Elite 76ers History

James Harden’s tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers finished the same way his stints usually do: with disappointment, empty stats, and a trade request.

Harden looked like the perfect guy to get the Sixers over the hump, developing instant rapport with Joel Embiid and helping him reach MVP status with their stellar play on the pick-and-roll.

While he wasn’t the same dominant scorer he was back in the day with the Houston Rockets, he was still the league’s leader in assists per game and total assists last season, embracing a different role and doing the little things to help the team win in the regular season.

And as StatMuse points out, he already made franchise history by becoming the only Sixer to average 20/5/10, leaving behind averages of 21.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 10.6 assists per game.

Harden in Philly:

21.0 PPG
6.4 RPG
10.6 APG

The only player in franchise history to average 20/5/10. pic.twitter.com/6KmYlkjY00

— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 29, 2023

Harden helped Doc Rivers’ team stay near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, and he even had a throwback performance vs. the Boston Celtics in the postseason.

Then, his regular playoff woes showed up again, and the Sixers failed to finish the job and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals once again.

Now, Harden will look to play for his fourth team in as many years, and even though finding a trade partner for his steep salary is no easy task — especially with his history of injuries and his age — the Los Angeles Clippers have reportedly inquired about the possibility of making a move for him, although the potential trade compensation has yet to be disclosed.