Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden has declined his $47.3 million option and become a free agent, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.
Harden keeps real the possibility of negotiating a new deal that would deliver the Sixers roster-building flexibility in free agency -- including use of the full $10.5 million exception.
The opt-out could go a long way in reshaping the Sixers' bench, including that full mid-level exception, $4.1 million bi-annual exception and sign-and-trades.