Philadelphia 76ers: Will a healthy James Harden make all the difference?

The Philadelphia 76ers didn’t make any big moves during the offseason, but will a healthy James Harden be enough to put them over the top in the Eastern Conference? 

After an injured Philadelphia 76ers fell short in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, there were many clamoring for big changes, starting at the top, for the Sixers heading into the 2022-23 NBA season.

With the start of training camp around the corner, that didn’t happen for the Sixers. Doc Rivers was retained as the team’s head coach and they didn’t make a big trade. Their biggest offseason move involved signing 37-year-old PJ Tucker to a three-year deal.

While he will certainly help the Sixers’ chances of making a deep playoff run, I’m not sure if anyone views that move as being a championship difference-maker for the team. And because of the lack of a big move, one has to wonder whether the team could be relying on another factor to get them over the hump in the East.

A healthy James Harden.

For much of last season, after he was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets, Harden never looked quite right. He was on the floor but often looked hesitant and even less aggressive than usual – even more so in that playoff series against the Heat.

Maybe it was the excellent defense by Miami. But, in all fairness, it could’ve been that Harden wasn’t right too. And if that is indeed the case, you can make an argument that Philly could be banking on a healthy Harden helping them take the next step in the East this upcoming season.

And it’s not that far-fetched of an idea. A fully healthy Harden and Joel Embiid may be the best duo in the Eastern Conference – especially with the uncertainty that revolves around Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in Brooklyn.

Thus far in the offseason, Harden is doing all the public things you’d hope he’d be doing after a disappointing second half of the season with the Sixers. He looks to be in great shape and is echoing what Philly fans would want to hear – that he vows to be at the top of his game this season.

Toward the end of the season, it seemed as if Harden was hitting a wall in his career. Many were clamoring that this was the end of his prime and this new Harden would be more of the norm moving forward.

But that may not be the case. It was clear he was battling hamstring issues all throughout the second half of the season and into the playoffs. With a full offseason off, and working on his craft, that may no longer be the case heading into 2022-23.

The big question, of course, still revolves around whether a fully healthy Harden is enough for the Sixers to be genuine championship contenders. And, quite frankly, it’s one that will echo throughout the season, beginning when this team reports for training camp.