NBA official: Harden's pay cut is not illegal, pay cut to help the team sign two

According to the famous NBA reporter Shams Charania, the official NBA investigation of the Philadelphia 76ers has ended, and there is no violation of James Harden's salary cut.

NBA officially announced that the 76ers had been fined and forfeited their second-round picks in 2023 and 2024 because they illegally contacted Tucker and House before the free market began.

At the same time, the NBA officially determined that there was no violation of Harden's salary reduction and Philadelphia 76ers contract renewal.

Harden jumped out of his player option of $47.4 million in the offseason this year and took a salary cut of $14.4 million to renew with the Philadelphia 76ers. This operation helped the Philadelphia 76ers reduce their salary to below the hard salary cap, allowing the Philadelphia 76ers to have a unique exception, Sign Tucker and House.

Harden signed a new contract with the Philadelphia 76ers for two years and $68.6 million, of which a second year is a player option. If Harden opts out of the contract next summer, he can reach a starting salary of $46.5 million with the 76ers. New contract.

Such a significant salary cut has caused some voices in the league to doubt that Harden agreed to take a pay cut to stay in the team because he had privately received assurances about the future. Philadelphia 76ers could promise next offseason to make up for what Harden gave up this year, such as giving him a five-year max extension next year.

After an official investigation by the NBA, Harden's salary cut did not contain any violations.