Is James Harden playing for the 76ers on Thursday vs. the Bucks?

The Philadelphia 76ers will open the 2023-24 season with a matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, one of their major competitors for the NBA title this season. The 76ers have not been able to resolve James Harden’s situation as the guard continues his standoff with the team. Harden was away from the team for 10 days before finally returning ahead of Thursday’s opener but he has not played in any meaningful action. Here’s a look at his status for the game.

James Harden updates

As expected, Harden is not suiting up for Philadelphia largely due to his complete lack of activity with the team leading up to the game. He’s not on this two-game road trip, so he’ll miss the Saturday game against the Raptors as well. Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Clippers have paused on trade conversations regarding Harden, so a deal is not imminent. We’ll see how long this standoff drags on.

With Harden out, Tyrese Maxey likely takes over as the point guard and primary ball handler while Kelly Oubre Jr. and De’Anthony Melton round out the wing spots. Tobias Harris probably slots in as the power forward, with Joel Embiid manning the middle. There’s a possibility P.J. Tucker gets the nod over one of Oubre Jr. and Melton as the veteran, especially given the matchup.