Beard wants to stay, and help
Harden set to take less so Sixers can get more
James Harden is taking less with hopes the 76ers can do more.
A person familiar with the situation said Harden chose not to exercise his $47.4 million option for next season and will become a free agent — but with no designs on leaving Philadelphia. Harden made the decision to allow the 76ers the flexibility they need to sign other players this summer, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither side confirmed those plans publicly.
That will be a major factor when the NBA opens the free agency negotiating window at 6 p.m. Eastern today, with Philadelphia among the teams that will be expected to target Miami forward P.J. Tucker, among others.
The most likely scenario for Harden now is this: The 10-time All-Star signs a new deal with Philadelphia, for something close to that $47.4 million number, after the team has addressed other needs and improved its chances of becoming a true championship contender in 2023. If Harden had opted in before his Wednesday afternoon deadline, Philadelphia would have had a much more difficult time in finding financial pathways toward luring free agents.
NUGGETS-WIZARDS DEAL
The Nuggets have agreed to a deal that would send
guards Will Barton and Monte Morris to the Wizards for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Wednesday.
The deal is not likely to be finalized until the league’s offseason moratorium is lifted on July 6.
The trade becomes the latest move by Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth to reshape the lineup around two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. Barton and Morris were both starters last season on a Nuggets team that was eliminated from the playoffs in the first round by eventual champion Golden State.
CALHOUN, ROY IN COLLEGE HALL
Roy Williams and Jim Calhoun will join John Beilein and Lon Kruger in a star-studded cast of coaches who will be inducted into the National College Basketball Hall of Fame in November.
Another longtime coach, Jerry Krause of Eastern Washington, will join the quartet, along with players Richard Hamilton of UConn, Larry Miller of North Carolina, Frank Selvy of Furman and Jimmy Walker of Providence.
The date of the induction ceremony has not been announced, but it typically coincides with the Hall of Fame Classic, which is set for Nov. 21-22 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
Williams retired in 2021 after leading two of college basketball’s bluebloods, Kansas and North Carolina, to a combined 903 wins — the third most for a Division I coach — and nine Final Four appearances.
NYCFC, CINCINNATI DRAW
Brenner completed a hat trick in the 70th minute and Cincinnati tied NYCFC, 4-4, on Wednesday night in Cincinnati. It was the first hat trick in club history for Cincinnati. Brenner also scored two goals six minutes apart midway through the first half to give Cincinnati (7-7-3) a 3-0 lead. Luciano Acosta opened the scoring in the 15th minute.
NYCFC (8-4-4) got two goals from Héber, another one from Gabriel Pereira and one from Talles Magno.
Both teams play Sunday, with Cincinnati visiting the New England Revolution while NYCFC hosts Atlanta United.