Nick Nurse was named the new head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers this week, and he was asked a couple of difficult questions during his introductory press conference. One of them was about James Harden.
Harden has a $36.5 million player option for next season that he is expected to decline. The Sixers have said they want him back, but money could be a factor. Howard Eskin of Sports Radio 94 WIP asked Nurse on Thursday if the coach wants Philadelphia to re-sign Harden. Nurse had an interesting response.
Eskin asked point blank if Nurse wants Harden back, to which Nurse replied that Harden is a “great player.” Eskin, as he often does, then pressed further. You can see the exchange below:
Nick Nurse never had to deal with this in Toronto, Philly is a different place. pic.twitter.com/7eTitoUGng
— Libaan Osman (@libaanstar1) June 1, 2023
“James Harden’s a great player. I would say James has a decision to make, and I’d be very happy if he came back,” Nurse said.
Nurse did not have to deal with many exchanges like that in Toronto. He could have easily responded with a simple “yes,” but he did not. That is likely because the situation is complicated.
Harden has been heavily linked to another team and may not want to return to Philly. The Sixers can offer Harden around $210 million over four seasons, while another team can offer $202 million over four years. Even if the 76ers are willing to give Harden the max, they do not hold a big financial advantage over other teams.
The Sixers have been linked to one of Nurse’s former players, so it is possible they anticipate Harden moving on.
