NBA Rumors: James Harden wants to avoid long-term commitment, will keep signing "one-plus-one kind of deals"

The Philadelphia 76ers’ James Harden is reportedly avoiding long-term commitments and is looking to sign a short-term deal again this NBA offseason.

James Harden is reportedly not interested in committing to a long-term contract at this point in his career. Instead, the former MVP is preferring to sign a "one-plus-one kind of deal," which would allow him to become a free agent again in the near future. Harden is currently on a two-year, $68.64 million deal to remain with the Philadelphia 76ers. However, the guard has the ability to opt-out after the current season. Rumors suggest that he is looking forward to signing another short-term deal instead of committing himself to a team for a long period of time.

Harden was asked about the report that he’s considering a return to Houston 👀 twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/ykR4SQwhOH

James Harden does not wish to commit long-term NBA future

It appears that Harden is more interested in maintaining his flexibility and ability to choose his own destination than committing to a single team for the long haul. This strategy has become increasingly popular among top players in recent years, as the league has become more fluid and players have more control over their careers.

According to ESPN's Zach Lowe, Harden wishes to keep up with the trend of “one-plus-one” deals and might as well end up staying with the 76ers past the current season. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, there are multiple factors at play, and a move back to the Houston Rockets is also on the cards.

“His future with the 76ers remains a fluid proposition, one that has been buoyed with eight straight victories, including a 119-112 win over the New York Knicks on Christmas. Harden is on a productive roll with All-NBA center Joel Embiid, and the state of that partnership and the Sixers’ postseason success could well be telltale factors in how Harden proceeds past this season. Experiencing a deep playoff run in a rabid, hungry Philadelphia marketplace could positively impact his thinking — just as the fallout of an early exit could, too.”

Harden last 3 games:

20 PTS | 21 AST | 11 REB
29 PTS | 13 AST | 4 STL
26 PTS | 13 AST | 7 REB

Leading the NBA in APG. https://t.co/YBLBFaxPve

Of course, the 76ers have won six out of their last seven games, and James Harden has been one of the primary reasons behind the run. He currently produces 22.1 points along with 11.1 assists per game and knows there is plenty of scope for improvement in his scoring. Still, it currently appears as if there is a possibility of another big move for James Harden.