National Basketball Association

James Harden not expected to make 76ers debut until after All-Star break

Published Feb. 14, 2022 5:12 p.m. ET

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James Harden is no longer a member of the Brooklyn Nets' "Big 3," and is now facing a legacy-defining stint with the Philadelphia 76ers.

And it all started off on Monday when Harden, who was swapped for Ben Simmons in a five-player trade on Thursday, showed up in Sixers gear for the first time.

But while Harden might be in uniform, it could be a bit before he actually joins Joel Embiid & Co. for game action. In fact, the team said on Monday that he would not play until after the All-Star break as he continues to work his way back from a hamstring ailment.

"I think it's more to make sure he's right, healthy and ready to go," 76ers coach Doc Rivers said after Monday's practice.

This means Harden, who is expected to be introduced on Tuesday, will at least miss a home game against Boston on Tuesday, as well a game on Thursday in Milwaukee.

That also means he'll miss the All-Star Game on Sunday in Cleveland — the Cavs' Jarrett Allen was named his replacement on Monday.

Harden was expected to play for Team LeBron in the All-Star Game after his former Nets teammate Kevin Durant notably passed on him with the second-to-last pick.

While jokes were made at Harden's expense in that announcement, the 76ers are willing to wait to make sure he's ready to play.

Harden was seen shooting on Monday, but Rivers said all he really did at practice was drill work and defensive walkthroughs in addition to the shooting. Rivers also said that he isn't worried about integrating his new guard into his system, which he'll start doing in scrimmages after the break.

"Listen, putting James Harden into an offense is not that hard. It really isn't," Rivers said. "I mean, he's just a terrific basketball player, so you don't need to overcomplicate it. You know where he's been great at, you know which direction he wants to go, and so you put him on those sides of the floor."

The 76ers are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference at 34-22. After the All-Star break, they'll have 24 games to get Harden up to speed before the playoffs begin, including a home game against Brooklyn on March 10.

Harden has averaged 25.0 points, 6.7 assists and 5.6 rebounds across his 12-plus NBA seasons. The 32-year-old 10-time All-Star is also a career 36.2% 3-point shooter. His scoring numbers are down a bit this season, as he's averaged 22.5 points and shot 33.2% from 3 in 44 games.

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