The Philadelphia 76ers fell short of their goal again. They were legit NBA championship contenders for most of the season and even had the MVP in Joel Embiid.

Doc Rivers’ tenure run its course, and their stars’ underperforming in the playoffs has become a yearly tradition, so they might have to look for someone else to carry the load when it matters the most.

With that in mind, Brett Seigel of ClutchPoints reports that they could be looking at making a run at Fred VanVleet to replace James Harden, who’s likely to opt out of the final year of his deal and leave.

Sixers Might Replace James Harden With Fred VanVleet

“Harden owns a $35.64 million player option for the 2023-24 season that many around the league are anticipating him opting out of,” Siegel wrote. “Leaving the Sixers after just one full season and signing elsewhere as an unrestricted free agent is a very real possibility for Harden, which is why Philadelphia has begun giving thought as to who could replace the former league MVP. According to league sources close to the organization, Raptors All-Star guard Fred VanVleet has emerged as a potential replacement for Harden this offseason.”

VanVleet Has Strong Praise For Nick Nurse

VanVleet is also expected to pursue a bigger deal in free agency. And with the Sixers hiring former Raptors coach Nick Nurse, it seems like there’s a real possibility of a reunion:

“He’s just a different voice that they haven’t heard before, something outside the box who is going to bring new ideas, creative ideas,” VanVleet said of his former coach joining the Sixer. “It will be a breath of fresh air for them and anytime you’re changing head coaches, that’s pretty much what you’re looking for. A new identity, a new voice for guys to kind of rally behind. I think he’ll have some success. Hopefully not too much if I’m not there and I’m staying in Toronto, then we want him to fail. But other than that, I am happy that he landed on his feet.”

The table seems set for the Sixers to at least consider signing the former NBA champion, who’s played himself into borderline All-Star consideration for years now.