James Harden was ruled out for the Philadelphia 76ers’ 136-131 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. Harden, like the rest of the Sixers starters, was rested as they had already clinched third place in the Eastern Conference standings.
However, an alleged photo of Harden partying at an Atlanta strip club went viral. It was shared by ButtCrack Sports on Twitter and has been viewed by over two million people.
It should be noted that Harden’s image has been confirmed to be fake and AI-generated. It was originally shared by a Twitter account called NBA DeepFakes. ButtCrack Sports is a satirical account exposing fans online. While others know that it is a parody account, some still take its claims seriously.
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It’s potentially understandable that some fans would think that James Harden would be at a strip club in Atlanta. Harden is known for splurging large amounts of money at such venues and even having his Rockets jersey allegedly “retired” by a Houston strip club, according to Sports Illustrated.
However, Harden is having a comeback season for the Philadelphia 76ers. The former MVP is averaging 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 10.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 58 games this season. Joel Embiid took over for the Sixers, but Harden remains a key part of the team heading into the postseason.
The Sixers will face the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs. Philadelphia fans are hoping this is the year Embiid finally wins MVP and his partnership with Harden results in a championship.
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James Harden has option to become a free agent after the season
James Harden has a player option at the end of the season and could enter free agency. If the Philadelphia 76ers fail to win the championship, it’s certainly possible that Harden will leave the team. He was linked with a return to the Houston Rockets in December.
According to an anonymous NBA general manager, the Sixers wouldn’t mind if Harden left this summer. The general manager told Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney that people within the Philadelphia organization would rather give Tyrese Maxey a new contract than Harden.
“There are some in that organization who wouldn’t care at all if Harden left,” the general manager said. “I don’t think he’ll do it, but he might and even if he doesn’t, he’s not going to get a very long contract with the Sixers. He’s getting older, you don’t know how much commitment you have.” he wants to do.
“But Maxey, the guy is a culture creator. He works hard, he’s relentless. He’s fit in with whoever they put him with, that’s not easy to do in this league. In the future, they want him to be the kind of guy that He’s the face of the franchise. He’s got the talent.”
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