James Harden Joined the Philadelphia 76ers in 2021
James Harden was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers on November 16, 2021, in a blockbuster deal sending him from the Brooklyn Nets. The trade was finalized after the NBA trade deadline window opened, with the 76ers sending Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, a 2022 first-round pick, and a 2024 first-round pick to the Nets in exchange for Harden. The transaction immediately reshaped the Eastern Conference playoff race, giving Philadelphia a dominant scoring guard alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The move was widely reported by ESPN and other outlets as a last-minute deadline-day decision by the Nets to clear salary space for future flexibility.
The 76ers officially announced the trade on their website and social media channels shortly after the transaction cleared NBA office reviews. Philadelphia's front office, led by general manager Elton Brand, framed the acquisition as a championship push move for the 2021-22 season. Harden's contract at the time carried a player option for the 2022-23 season and a team option for 2023-24, giving the 76ers short-term control. The deal was structured to provide immediate veteran star power while keeping long-term financial flexibility intact for the franchise.
Contract Terms and Salary Details
James Harden signed a two-year, approximately $70 million contract extension with the 76ers in February 2022, covering the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. The deal included a full player option for the 2023-24 year, allowing Harden to control his own destination for the final season of the extension. His base salary for the 2021-22 season was roughly $35.6 million, with the extension raising his earnings for the subsequent years. The contract made him one of the highest-paid players in the NBA during his tenure in Philadelphia.
The salary figures were confirmed by NBA salary-cap databases and reported in detail by Forbes and Spotrac, which track NBA contracts and cap hits. Harden's deal with the 76ers was structured to comply with the NBA's salary-cap rules and luxury-tax thresholds. The extension included standard incentives and no additional trade kickers beyond the league's standard provisions. Philadelphia absorbed significant luxury-tax payments during the season Harden played for them, reflecting the financial commitment to surrounding him with supporting talent.
Departure After One Season
James Harden was traded again on February 10, 2022, just 87 days after joining the 76ers, sending him to the Philadelphia Clippers in a three-team deal. The Clippers sent Daniel Theis, Boris Diaw, and a 2024 second-round pick to the 76ers, while the Nets received Marcus Morris, Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, and a 2029 first-round pick. Harden's second stint in Philadelphia lasted only a few weeks before the trade was executed, making his total time with the team less than three months. The Clippers acquired Harden to pair him with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George ahead of the 2022 NBA playoffs.
The trade was finalized after the NBA approved the transaction and both teams confirmed the deal publicly. Harden's brief tenure with the 76ers ended with him averaging over 21 points per game in limited minutes due to a hamstring injury that sidelined him for parts of the season. The Clippers later waived him in November 2022, and he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers again in a separate transaction in January 20