James Harden’s tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers ended on a sour note. However, there’s no denying that during his time with the franchise, he showcased why he was the 2017 MVP. Even at his advancing age, Harden’s playmaking, shot creation and shot making were among the best in the NBA. That’s why his decision to leave the franchise stung.
Since joining the LA Clippers, Harden has thrived in a lead ball-handling role. Last season, he ranked in the top-10 for MVP voting, was an All-Star and got named to an All-NBA Third Team. He did all of that while averaging 22.8 points, 8.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game on 50.1 effective field goal percentage. Courtesy of his strong performances, Harden was recently named the seventh-best point guard in the NBA by HoopsHype’s Frank Urbina.
“The ageless James Harden has done well to transform his game, from being a high-volume scorer to being one of the best playmaking floor generals in the game today,” Urbina wrote. “…Blend that in with his elite playmaking and ability to get to the basket and finish, and you have an All-NBA floor general, even at nearly 36 years old. What remains to be seen is how far a Harden-led team can make it in the postseason.”
Assuming the Clippers can remain healthy, Harden and the Clippers will likely be among the contenders in the Western Conference next season. Even as he nears his 36th birthday, Harden is still an elite talent, and questions likely remain over how things could have turned out if he’d stuck with the Sixers long-term.
Fortunately for Sixers fans, the franchise has an exciting young core of guards to cheer for, with Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and VJ Edgecombe all expected to impress next season.