It’s still uncertain when he’ll play, but James Harden went through a walkthrough and video session with the Sixers prior to their game against Portland on Sunday, Tim Bontemps of ESPN reports. Harden is also expected to take part in their practice on Tuesday. He’s ramping up toward game action.
“All signs are positive conditioning-wise and all those things,” head coach Nick Nurse said. “We just need to get him in some live action then hopefully we can do that Tuesday.”
After an off-day on Monday, Philadelphia is scheduled to practice Tuesday and Wednesday. It’s possible, if all goes well, that Harden could make his season debut against Toronto on Thursday.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Joel Embiid insists the Sixers aren’t focused on Harden’s situation, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I think everybody in this locker room has been focused on — we’re playing,” Embiid said. “We’ve got games every single day. That’s up to the guys upstairs and management to figure out what’s going to happen. We’ve got a pretty good team.”
- Julius Randle is averaging just 13.7 points on 27.7% shooting during the first three Knicks games. He also committed eight of the Knicks’ 19 turnovers against the Pelicans on Saturday. Jalen Brunson says the team has to give him more help, Peter Botte of the New York Post writes. “He’s being aggressive. He’s attacking,” Brunson said. “As a group we need to be better. But we’ve got to help each other be better. It can’t just be like ‘I have to be better’ or ‘He has to be better.’ How can we collectively help each other? Julius is gonna command attention, so we need to help him out a little bit.”
- Mikal Bridges hasn’t played poorly but he’s still trying to settle into the role of No. 1 option, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Bridges averaged 19 points on 41.4% shooting, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists in the first two Nets games of the season. “Just missing shots, I’m missing layups, missing some of my teammates open. I’ve just got to be better,” he said.
Oubre Jr looks solid in Hardens replacement
Quite frankly, the Sixers don’t seem to be missing Harden or his chicken wing move to induce fouls
Maxey is taking another jump too. If Harden misses the first 5-10 games due to conditioning and comes back and tries to sabotage it will only make him look that much worse.
Addition by subtraction for the 76ers…
Subtraction by addition this week…
Could be a year long tug of war as no one wants Harden for what Morey wants in return…
If Morey doesn’t think he can get… Kawhi, PG13, Siakam, LBJ, Jrue, Klay, OG, or DeMar via FA and if the Bulls continue to be a dumpster fire, and he comes away with LaVine – I wouldn’t be mad.
However, it would be their only move. They would most likely have to re-up Tobias and Melton b/c they wouldn’t be able to renounce them and sign 2 players better at 21M (remaining cap space).
LaVine and Drummond for Harden, PJ, Tucker, and 1 FRP.
And that’s your team moving forward, will it be enough for Embiid to want to stay and/or win?
2024 Roster
Maxey / Melton
LaVine / Springer
Tobias / TBD
Reed / TBD
Embiid / Filip
The best offseason move could be using their 2024 FRP on Bronny James and LBJ comes for like the MLE.
As a bulls fan, no thank u. As toxic as the bulls are I still want nothing to do w harden
I think Harden would have to go to a 3rd team, Clippers, Heat, etc… but it would start with the Bulls.
Randle to the sixers and bridges to the sixers.
Who says no:
Clippers get Harden and Tucker
Sixers get Buddy, Joe Harris, and RoCo
Pacers get Korkmaz, Powell, Clippers FRP
Pistons get Morris, House, Clippers SRP
Bench for the Sixers becomes way better for this year – preserves cap space too. Bev, Buddy, Harris, RoCo/Oubre, Reed/Bama (May need to figure out back-up C still). Moves off Tucker’s 24-25 salary.
Clippers get their guy and his bodyguard.
Pistons get another SRP for nothing. Harris isn’t playing much.
Pacers get a comparable player on a multi-year deal vs trying to sign someone and a FRP.