Brian Windhorst: I don’t think that just because James Harden opted out of his player option, which I would expect him to do, it means he’s leaving. He took a big pay cut last year to help the Sixers build that roster and they’ve done just that, signing PJ Tucker, and trading for Melton. And so Harden is, frankly, a little indebted based on his output. So I would expect the Sixers bid to be much higher no matter how many years. Indications are that Harden will remain in Philadelphia. I wouldn’t say for sure it’s a done deal but here are the indications. It will really come down to what kind of contract they are negotiating. They can take up to four years. I’m sure Philadelphia, at 33, would like it to be shorter. And those are the negotiations that they’ve been working on in recent weeks. -via Twitter @GetUpESPN / June 28, 2023