Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden has exercised his $35.6 million option for the 2023-24 season, clearing the way for the organization and the 10-time All-Star to work together on finding a trade, sources told ESPN on Thursday.
The Sixers started making calls on Harden trades Thursday as it became clearer that he wouldn't be declining the option and entering free agency, sources said.
Harden, 33, could've negotiated a new deal with the Sixers upon becoming a free agent, but he decided with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey that they would start working on a way to move Harden less than two years after his arrival in a February 2022 trade with the Brooklyn Nets, sources said.