How long is James Harden out? Injury update on foot injury, timeline and return date for 76ers star

Gilbert McGregor

•
How long is James Harden out? Injury update on foot injury, timeline and return date for 76ers star image

After a rough start to the 2022-23 season, the 76ers have had to get back on track without star guard James Harden in the fold.

Just nine games into the season, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Harden had suffered a right foot tendon strain that would sideline the 33-year-old indefinitely.

The news came after Harden took a $15 million pay cut to remain in Philadelphia and allow the franchise to become more title-ready with the flexibility to make offseason acquisitions. At training camp, Harden said he felt great physically. Through nine games, he was averaging 22.0 points, 10.0 assists and 7.0 rebounds for the Sixers, who stumbled to a 4-5 record.

What's next for Harden? Here is what we know about his injury and when he could return to the floor for the Sixers.

What is James Harden's injury?

Wojnarowski first reported that Harden had suffered a right foot tendon strain. The news came just one day after Harden saw 35 minutes of playing time in a loss to the Wizards.

It is unclear when exactly the injury occurred, but Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Harden was walking with a noticeable limp following the game and declined to speak with media.

MORE: Shaquille O'Neal vs. Joel Embiid: The key stats behind two dominant big men 

How long will James Harden be out?

Wojnarowski's initial reporting indicated that Harden was "expected to miss a month" of action, making a return in early December likely.

The Athletic's Shams Charania provided an update at the end of November, reporting that Harden was targeting a return against the Rockets on Monday, Dec. 5.

Last season, Harden missed six of a possible 27 games with the Sixers due to injury management of his knee and hamstring. Hamstring issues also limited Harden during his time in Brooklyn, severely impacting his lone postseason run with the Nets.

76ers schedule 2022-23

Here are Philadelphia's next five games:

Date Opponent Time (ET)/Result TV channel
Nov. 30 at Cavaliers 7 p.m. —
Dec. 2 at Grizzlies 8 p.m. —
Dec. 5 at Rockets 8 p.m. —
Dec. 9 vs. Lakers 7:30 p.m. ESPN
Dec. 11 vs. Hornets 6 p.m. —

James Harden career stats, highlights

  • 24.9 points per game
  • 6.8 assists per game
  • 5.6 rebounds per game
  • 44.2 field goal percentage
  • 36.1 3-point field goal percentage

Gilbert McGregor

Gilbert McGregor Photo

Gilbert McGregor first joined The Sporting News in 2018 as a content producer for Global editions of NBA.com. Before covering the game, McGregor played basketball collegiately at Wake Forest, graduating with a Communication degree in 2016. McGregor began covering the NBA during the 2017-18 season and has been on hand for a number of league events.