Fact Check: Did James Harden party in an Atlanta strip club? Viral picture debunked

James Harden was ruled out of the Philadelphia 76ers' 136-131 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. Harden, like the rest of the Sixers starters, was rested since they had already clinched the third spot in the Eastern Conference standings.

However, an alleged photo of Harden partying in an Atlanta strip club went viral. It was shared by ButtCrack Sports on Twitter and has been viewed by more than two million people.

It should be noted that the image of Harden has been confirmed as fake and AI generated. It was originally shared by a Twitter account called NBA DeepFakes. ButtCrack Sports is a satirical account that exposes fans online. While others know that it's a parody account, some are still taking their claims seriously.

It's potentially understandable that some fans would think James Harden would be in a strip club in Atlanta. Harden is known for splurging huge amounts of money in such places and even getting his Rockets jersey allegedly "retired" by a Houston strip club, as per Sports Illustrated.

Nevertheless, Harden is having a bounce-back campaign for the Philadelphia 76ers. The former MVP is averaging 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 10.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 58 games this season. Joel Embiid has taken over the Sixers, but Harden remains a critical part of the team heading into the postseason.

The Sixers are set to face the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs. Philly fans are hoping that this is the year that Embiid finally wins the MVP and his partnership with Harden results in a championship.

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James Harden has option to become a free agent after the season

James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers

James Harden has a player option at the end of the season and could enter free agency. If the Philadelphia 76ers fail to win the championship, it's certainly possible that Harden could leave the team. He was linked with a return to the Houston Rockets back in December.

According to an anonymous NBA general manager, the Sixers wouldn't mind if Harden leaves this summer. The GM told Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports that people within the Philly organization prefer giving Tyrese Maxey a new contract over Harden.

"There are some in that organization who would not mind at all if Harden left," the GM said. "I don't think he will, but he could and even if he doesn't, he is not going to get a real long deal from the Sixers. He is getting older, you don’t know how much of a commitment you want to make him.

"But Maxey, the guy is a culture-setter. He works hard, he is relentless. He has fit in with whoever they put him with, that is not easy to do in this league. Moving forward, they want him to be a face-of-the-franchise kind of guy. He has the talent."