Philadelphia 76ers 'determined' to sign James Harden to new contract

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden is entering a rather crucial and interesting offseason. After Harden was tied to several teams in trade rumors, it appears that the 76ers are 'determined' to bring their star back for another season.

Harden has garnered a fair bit of attention from the Houston Rockets in trade talks. Considering that the Rockets were where Harden first burst onto the scene as a superstar, it's evident that there are a few sentimental elements involved in the trade.

However, it is equally important to note that Harden is in a rather delicate contract situation with the Philadelphia 76ers. After taking a pay cut last season to ensure that the 76ers could build a team to contend for the title, Harden received a player option for the upcoming season.

If he opts in, the 76ers guard will earn north of $35 million. However, those notions have to be dropped as it was made clear that Harden would be opting out of his contract, thus entering free agency.

While that sets up an ideal situation for the Rockets to make a move on Harden, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said that the 76ers are committed to bringing him back. Woj said:

"They’re determined to keep James Harden, but it’ll be a negotiation. It’s probably not going to be just the traditional full max long term deal that he’s been able to command throughout his career."

Woj said that with some salary cap flexibility and the arrival of Nick Nurse could convince Harden to return. However, that could prove to be a challenge.

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Rockets may not benefit by signing James Harden

The Houston Rockets have created a lot of buzz with their interest in signing James Harden. After being a team in the bottom rung in the West, the Rockets certainly have money to entice Harden, but that's not all.

With the development of their young talent now paired with the arrival of Ime Udoka, Houston looks like an appealing destination. However, they may not benefit from adding the aging superstar Harden.

The Rockets are a young team. With the development of Jalen Green and the recently drafted Amen Thompson, the Rockets would be best served by focusing their efforts on other free agents rather than Harden.