5 free agents with ties to James Harden for Philadelphia 76ers to pursue

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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – FEBRUARY 17: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket past DeMarcus Cousins #15 of the Houston Rockets during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center on February 17, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

5 free agents with ties to James Harden for Philadelphia 76ers to pursue: DeMarcus Cousins

Sticking with the frontcourt, the Philadelphia 76ers could look to bulk up their center depth behind Joel Embiid this offseason, and one player that could help is DeMarcus Cousins.

Though he isn’t the four-time All-Star player that he once was, Cousins proved this past season that he could still play at a high level in the right role. Splitting the year playing for the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets, Cousins played solidly in a backup center role by averaging 9.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in just 15 minutes per game.

Philadelphia will be in the hunt for a backup center this offseason as they will likely not retain DeAndre Jordan, and Cousins could be the perfect fit to provide scoring, toughness, and rebounding when Embiid is off the floor catching his breath. As for the James Harden connection, Cousins briefly shared the floor with the MVP to start the 2020-21 campaign before the latter was dealt to the Nets in the now-infamous blockbuster trade.

While the Nuggets will likely look to keep Cousins, as Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports reported that they do have a strong interest in re-signing him, that should not stop the 76ers from attempting to lure him to Philadelphia.

After cycling through several names at center this past season, adding a solid backup center will be among the top priorities for the 76ers, and an established veteran in Cousins would fit the billing in that regard.

Cousins could also be among the more affordable free agent centers to pursue this offseason, as he will likely not be seeking a considerable amount of cash wherever he ends up. Whatever the case may be, Cousins should be on Philadelphia’s radar.